CPT International 01/2022

www.cpt-international.com
WITH SUPPLIERS GUIDE
March
2022
CASTING
PLANT AND TECHNOLOGY
INTERNATIONAL
1
The leading international consulting
company of the foundry sector
Know-howMade in Germany

Nuremberg, Germany
8–10.6.2022
International Trade Fair for Die Casting:
Technology, Processes, Products
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EDITORIAL
How tocope with bottlenecks?
Dependence on raw materialsisacentral problem for foundries all over the
world. This concern has rapidly gainedmomentum in recent months. Delivery
chains in many places have also beenunable to function consistently due
to the sometimes rigorous regimes imposed in response to the pandemic.
Our industry must cope with bottlenecks affectingmetals, in particular –so,
among other things, our first issue of the year takes acloser look at this problematictopic.
Photo: BDG
Jan Kretzmann
Editor-in-chief
e-mail: jan.kretzmann@bdguss.de
Raw material prices have veritably
exploded due to extreme demand,
among other reasons, and delivery
constraints pose serious problems for
companies. Adevelopment whose end
is not yet in sight. Companies and suppliers
in the foundry sector must adapt
to these new conditions as well as possible.
Our article on the Hüttenes-Albertus
Group shows how this can function
in practice. The Group is represented in
more than 30 countries, and its procurement
processes must support the purchase
of awide range ofchemical raw
materials, minerals and sands –from
small specialties to bulk commodities.
Join us in an interesting look behind
the scenes of this network of buyers
active worldwide.
One region plays adecisive role in
the procurement of graphite for the
industry: China. With more than 70 %
of global production, the country is by
far the world’s largest supplier of
graphite. Users of graphite electrodes
came to realize that this could become
aproblem in 2017 and 2018, when
panic purchases broke out and the previous
market price rose eightfold in one
year. Our background report by Benjamin
Sarkoezy shows that asimilar scenario
could occur again.
Let’s change the subject and move
on to an article of avery different complexion,
in which not global dependency,
but the transfer of knowledge
and the division of labor has led to a
win-win situation: aGerman start-up
that produces, among other things, historical
door fittings and window handles
that arte true to the original. The
idea came from Germany and the casting
takes place in India, where an entire
region lives off traditional sand casting
processes, executing every customer
requirement with agreat deal of manual
work and attention to detail.
In contrast, we look towards the
future with our company report on Hetitec
Oy in Tampere, Finland –one of
Europe’s most modern and rapid foundries,
equipped with innovative technologies
for additive manufacturing, simulation
and metal casting.
Have agood read!
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 3

CONTENTS
FEATURES
6 COMPANY
Rapid and flexible 3D-printing
Hetitec Oy specializes in the rapid processing of
orders, with the aim of finishing production of an
ordered part within one week. Whereby ‘printed
casting’ plays adecisive role. Frederik von Saldern
10 COREMAKING
Improvement of core making equipment
through analysis of core making process
How integrated core-making units improve the
measurement controls ofstandby time, core sand
temperature, catalytic gas temperature. Jia Lia,
Xue Niua ,Linlong Yanga, Gaochun Lua, He Qiua
15 PROCESS
Sustainable, transparent and efficient
purchasing
Metalshub offers foundries acustomized and
rapidly implementable digital purchasing solution
and is already used by many companies in the iron
and steel industry. Frank Jackel
COREMAKING
Core shooting system
with integrated
manufacturing unit.
COMPANY
Hetitec Oy‘s VX2000
3D printer in action.
20 COMPANY
How are suppliers strategically dealing?
The raw material crisis is keeping the world on tenterhooks
and is likely to do so for some time to
come. Foundries must adapt to the changing conditions
as best they can. Thomas Pfeiffer
COMPANY
The trading floor of
the LME in London.
Cover-Photo:
Krapohl-Wirth Consulting Group GmbH &Co. KG
Im Pfeiferle 6b, 86477 Adelsried /Augsburg
info@kwcg.de
www.kwcg.de/en
Krapohl-Wirth is the leading international consulting
company of the foundry sector.
4

CONTENTS
COMPANY
Global sourcing in an
era of ‚perfect storms‘.
24 PROCESS
Dependence on China indifficult times
China is by far the world’s largest graphite supplier.
Users had already experienced that this could
become aproblem. Recent weeks indicate asimilar
scenario to occur again. Benjamin Sarkoezy
26 COMPANY
Traditional craftsmanship reinvigorated
Businessman Volker Eloesser was searching for
period fittings for his doors and windows. When he
failed to find any, hecame across Indian foundries.
Jan Kretzmann
28 CASTING
Two-chamber vacuum casting
How the BLANK Group employs vacuum casting
to improve quality and increase output quantity.
Manuela Schmid
32 COMPANY
Infrastructure for functional futures trading
in commodities
Since 1877, the London Metal Exchange (LME) has
become established as the futures trading exchange
for international trade in industrial metals.
Patrick Heisch
37 DIE CASTING
Cold-chamber casting with the LEAP series
The LEAP series of die-casting machines from
Yizumi promises precision and repeatability.
Stefan Fritsche
PROCESS
China dominates
the world‘s graphite
market.
40 COMPANY
Promoting and maintaining health
How to deal with illnesses many employee worker
suffer from. Sabine Machwürth
COMPANY
Door and window
handles cast in India
for the restoration
of listed buildings.
COLUMNS
3 EDITORIAL
44 NEWS IN BRIEF
50 SUPPLIERS GUIDE
57 FAIRS AND CONGRESSES/AD INDEX
58 PREVIEW/IMPRINT
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 5

COMPANY
6

The VX2000 is the second-largest 3D printer in voxeljet’s
portfolio. After anew update, the system prints acomplete
job box of 2x1x1meters in about 24 hours.
Pirkanmaa
New Finnish foundry
Rapid and flexible
3D printing
This article portrays afoundry in Finland. Hetitec Oy specializes in the rapid processing
of orders, with the aim of finishing production of an ordered part within one week.
Whereby ‘printed casting’ plays adecisive role.
By Frederik von Saldern
Photos: Hetitec
Eight years ago, Ville Moilanen
probably wouldn’t have dreamt
that in 2021 he would be operating
Scandinavia’s largest 3D printer for
on-demand production of sand molds
and cores. But what was once his vision
is now his reality. Henow runs Hetitec
Oy, one of the most modern and fastest
foundries in Europe, equipped with
state-of-the-art technology for additive
manufacturing, simulation and metal
casting. With in-house foundry capabilities
in steel, iron and aluminum alloys,
Hetitec can produce castings within a
week thanks to printed casting technology.
Post-processing and quality assurance
included.
Printed casting describes the process
of 3D printing and the casting of highly
complex molds. This hybrid approach
makes it possible to combine the advantages
of 3D printing (i.e. geometric
freedom) with the cost benefits of conventional
production.
What makes Hetitec’s business model special is that afoundry was built around 3D printing
instead of integrating 3D printing in an existing foundry. This enables Hetitec to deliver
finished castings within aweek.
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 7

COMPANY
using conventional casting methods.
There was also an acute shortage of
skilled foundry engineers. In many
foundries, the engineers are so busy
meeting serial orders that they simply
have no time to work on small to
medium batch sizes.
Ville Moilanen took on these market
deficits in2012, when he decided to
move back to Finland and found his
own company, Hetitec Oy, inthe Pirkanmaa
region near Tampere. He finally
opened his center for the 3D printing of
sand molds and cores in 2013. At the
time, he invested in aVX1000 from voxeljet
and printed 3D furan molds and
cores for customers on demand.
Hetitec continued this business
model for several years until, in 2018,
the company decided to scale up, to
expand and to transform its 3D Printing
Service Center into ahighly specialized
foundry. Hetitec’s unique idea? Building
afoundry around the 3D printer and
not just integrating a3Dprinter into a
foundry. And all with the aim of achieving
aclear objective: the rapid production
of castings.
The path to independence and a
new era in metal casting
Ville Moilanen joined the former voxeljet
technology GmbH in Augsburg as a
mechanical engineer in 2008. As asales
manager, among other things he
helped set up voxeljet’s On-Demand
Center and was responsible for sales on
the Scandinavian market.
In discussions with customers he
found out that the average delivery
time for castings in Finland was more
than three months. And this despite the
fact that Finland is home to many large
industrial companies active in sectors
such as machine construction, energy
supply, shipbuilding, etc. Sectors that
generally have ahigh demand for castings,
and particularly for prototype
parts.
The reason for these long lead times
was that the Finnish foundry industry
was mainly set up for serial production
Metal casting can exploit aconsiderably
greater variety of materials than direct
metal-processing additive technologies.
In addition to iron alloys, Hetitec can also
cast various special steel and aluminum
alloys.
The new VX2000 –40% more
powerful
The first casting plants were installed at
Hetitec in early 2020. These included
four melting furnaces for various alloys.
Hetitec can melt steel (including Duplex),
gray cast iron, spheroidal graphite iron
(including ADI and SiMo) and aluminum.
Hetitec also invested in CAD software for
mold construction and casting simulation
to prevent casting defects and keep
the reject rate as low as possible. In addition
to the VX1000, Hetitec enhanced its
additive manufacturing capacity with a
VX2000 from voxeljet in 2021. The
large-format 3D printing system has a
construction volume of 2x1x1meters
and isideal for the production of large
individual molds or avariety of smaller
components.
The printer recently underwent a
process update that has increased productivity
by almost 40%. “If it were up
ON VOXELJET:
voxeljet is aleading supplier of large-format high-speed 3D printers and
on-demand services for industrial and trade customers. The company’s 3D
printers use apowder-based additive manufacturing technology that enables
the production of highly complex components made of avariety of materials.
The material sets used are based on particle material and proprietary chemical
binders. The company offers its 3D printers and on-demand components for
industrial and trade customers in the automotive, aerospace, film &entertainment,
art &architecture, machine construction, and consumer goods industries.
Further information is available at
www.voxeljet.com.
8

Hetitec’s specialty
includes spare parts
and prototypes, in
particular. Asthe
Finnish industry
mainly focuses on
serial production it
benefits, above all,
from the fast delivery
times and reduced
costs.
ON HETITEC:
Hetitec Oy is afoundry located in
Tampere, Finland. Founded in 2012,
Hetitec started with an on-demand
printing service for sand molds and
cores for metal casting. Hetitec is now
afully equipped foundry with comprehensive
additive manufacturing
capacities, and it specializes in the
production of highly complex castings
made of steel, iron and aluminum.
With in-house simulation software
and quality assurance, as well as collaborations
with nearby companies,
Hetitec is one of the fastest foundries
in Scandinavia and can produce complete
finished castings within aweek.
For further information visit
www.hetitec.com.
to our customers, they would prefer to
have the castings yesterday –aservice
that, unfortunately, wecannot offer
yet. But we can readily print ajob box
in less than aday, which makes the
VX2000 the most productive 3D printer
in the whole of Finland,” says Managing
Director Moilanen. “With our
equipment we can produce castings
weighing from 1to600 kg in just afew
days, with aunique portfolio in terms
of material diversity.”
But that is not all. Hetitec collaborates
with neighboring companies for
machining and quality assurance. This
allows the freshly cast parts to be processed
immediately and inspected before
shipment. This workflow enables Hetitec
to dispatch finished parts within just one
week. Or, in the words of Ville Moilanen:
“This makes us the fastest freaking
foundry in the whole of Scandinavia.”
The Finnish market at aglance
Scandinavia’s industrial landscape is particularly
characterized by shipbuilding,
M
M
R
odernization
aintenance
etrofit
automotive, energy, forestry machinery
and offshore industries. All these markets
can benefit greatly from Hetitec’s
services, printing technology, casting
technology and its specialist range of
materials.
info@rump.de • www.rump.de • +49 5258 5080
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 9

COREMAKING
Core shooting system with integrated manufacturing unit.
Process Analytics
Improvement of core making
equipment through analysis of
the core making process
By Jia Li, Xue Niu, Linlong Yang, Gaochun Lu, He Qiu, Jiangsu
Photos: SUZHOU MINGZHI TECHNOLOGY
The conventional core-making
technology utilizing core
machines has disadvantages,
which include: fixed volume in single
batch sand mixing, large fluctuation of
storage time, and uncontrolled storage
environment. These factors cause the
sand core quality to fluctuate and
therefore lower the efficiency and
effectiveness of production.
In previous analysis of the resin
material characteristics, it is found that
primarily the viscosity coefficient of liquid
resin and the degree of spontaneous
reaction affect the quality. Furthermore,
as the sand shooting nature
and law of resin hardening indicate, a
good fluidity of core sand guarantees a
high quality.
Further process research is required
to analyse the factors and laws that
affect core sand fluidity and core curing,
in order to optimize core-making
equipment, improve core-making quality,
and enhance efficiency.
Cold box core-making process
The equipment used in this paper
include asand mixer, the proprietary
MLWA1 sample machine from Suzhou
Mingzhi Technology, SAC hammer sampler,
strength tester, and electronic
balance. The materials used include a
10

cold box resin (phenolic resin and
poly-isocyanate), triethylamine and
50/100 recycled silica sand.
The cold box resin with the addition
set at 0.6 %for both components and
recycled silica sand are first mixed. The
influence of environment temperature
and standby time on the fluidity of the
core sand is studied. The method refers
to the ‘side-hole quality test’ in Casting
Manual Volume 4: Modelling Materials
(Huang, 2002).
The initial strength is tested on the
8-shape sample made by the MLWA1
sample machine. After that, how the
core sand temperature and catalytic gas
temperature affect the initial strength
is analysed.
ABSTRACT
Research of the process for making cores was carried out and concludes that
shortening the standby time of the core sand (referred to as uncured mixture of
sand and binder) can reduce fluctuation in the quality of the sand core. Controlling
sand temperature in areasonable range and raising the temperature at
which the catalytic gas is cured can maintain agood initial strength of the sand
core at ahigh speed, which therefore improves the efficiency, interms of quantity
and quality. Based on these conclusions, the layout and functions of the production
equipment have been rearranged by developing an integrated coremaking
unit, known as MICC (Mingzhi Technology Integration Core Centre). Verification
within aproduction setting shows that the new layout effectively improves
the measurement controls of standby time, core sand temperature, and catalytic
gas temperature. This helps improve the production efficiency and quality
substantially.
Standby time and room temperature
As shown in Figure 1, the fluidity of the
core sand shows adownward trend as
the standby time increases. When the
standby time remains constant, the
higher the room temperature is, the
more rapidly the fluidity of core sand
decreases.
Sand temperature
How the sand temperature affects the
reaction speed of resin has a‘10 °C’ rule
(Qu &Ji, 2007). That is, with every temperature
increase of 10 °C, the reaction
speed doubles. As illustrated in Figure 2,
in the range of 5-40 °C, when the sand
temperature is lower than 15 °C, the initial
tensile strength is less than 0.35
MPa; when the sand temperature is
higher than 20 °C, the initial tensile
strength is greater than 0.47 MPa.
In the process of shooting, the initial
tensile strength must be in arange that
the sand core can be completely ejected
and atthe same time void of excessive
deformation. Therefore, the sand temperature
is best controlled at 20 -30°C
for sand cores with complex shapes and
thin wall structure, while 15 -30°Cfor
those with simple shape and thick wall.
Sand Fluidity in %
100
90
80
70
60
50
0 15 30 45 60 75
Catalytic gas temperature
and blowing time
The initial strength of sand core is influenced
by catalytic gas temperature and
blowing time, as can be seen in Figure 3.
Compared to 110°C, acatalytic gas temperature
of 150°C requires alower
blowing time for achieving adesired initial
strength.
Standby-Time in min
Room Temperature =21°C
Room Temperature =32°C
Figure 1: Trend of sand fluidity at different room temperatures in cold box process.
The conclusions of this section are:
> Shortening the core sand standby
time after mixing can reduce the fluctuation
of the quality. The time should
not exceed 15 min for sand cores of
complex shapes or thin walls, and 30
min for cores of simple shape or thick
walls.
> Controlling the sand temperature in
areasonable range and increasing the
Table 1: Quality comparison between traditional and integrated core making unit (5,000 product units).
Process
Category of
sand core
Rate of defect (traditional
core making unit)
Fracture
in %
Mis-shoot
in %
Rate of defect (integrated
core making unit)
Fracture
in %
Mis-shoot
in %
Quality improvement
Fracture
in %
Mis-shoot
in %
Cold box Water jacket 3.62 1.46 0.43 0.25 3.2 1.2
Casting head 0.4 1.50 0.1 0.32 0.3 1.2
Inorganic Water jacket 9.06 5 1.05 0.83 8.0 4.2
Casting head 2 2.55 0.5 0.46 1.5 2.1
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 11

COREMAKING
Initial Strength in MPa
0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Core Sand temperature in °C
Figure 2: Effect of sand temperature oninitial strength.
Initial Strength in MPa
0,75
0,7
0,65
0,6
0,55
0,5
0,552
0,506
0,639
0,616
0,6 0,604
10 15 20 25
Blowing Time in s
0,692
0,635
Room Temperature = 110 °C
Room Temperature = 150 °C
Figure 3: Effect of catalytic gas temperature and blowing time on initial strength of sand core.
Core Making Process
Sand storage
Sand Mixing
Core andStorage
Adding Sand into Cylinder
Core Shoong
Solidificaon
Opening of coreand
ejecon
Tradional
Natural environment,
disruptedSand temperature
Fixed amount of sand,
Too muchinone batch
Damaged coresand,long
Standby-Time
Sand level detecon before
adding
Fluctuang fluidity,
Poor filling
Gaslossinpipe, instabile
Temperature
Fluctuang Quality
Opmal
Controlledtemperature, no
sand temperature
disrupon
Variableamountbased on
shoong
Eliminates need forstorage
stage
Capacity balance,Mixing
Sand =Adding Sand
Stable fluidity,improved
filling
Integratedheang system
no Gaslossand stable
temperature
Stable Quality
Figure 4: Comparison between traditional and optimised core making process.
catalytic gas temperature allows the
sand core to achieve the desired initial
strength in ashort timeframe. Therefore,
the efficiency, asrelates to lower
defective core rates (see Table 1), can be
improved.
Inorganic core making process
As per empirical evidence in application,
as well as testimony from technicians
ofinorganic material suppliers, it
is believed that reaction to air and
dehydration leads to crusting of the
mixed core sand (Wei, Liu, Pi, &Qin,
2013). When room and sand temperatures
rise, the speed of crusting will
increase, which lowers the quality. To
reduce encrustation, the temperature
of the inorganic sand should be no
more than 35 °C at astandby time ideally
that is lower than 10 minutes.
In the inorganic core making process,
the core sand is first injected into
the heated core box. Then, aquick curing
and encrustation on the outer contour
occurs, while the interior core sand
is not yet entirely cured. Finally, hot catalytic
gas is injected to increase the
interior sand temperature and as curing
occurs, drain water is released.
In the core making process of ahigh
temperature heater product, verification
of one type of cylinder block shows
that increasing the catalytic gas temperature
can reduce the blowing time
as the mould temperature remains
unchanged.
To summarize, during the inorganic
sand core making process, it is found
that:
1. To reduce quality fluctuations, sand
temperature should be lower than 35 °C
and the standby time must be less than
10 min.
2. Ahigher catalytic gas temperature
can increase efficiency.
Results
The research results in section 2show
that, irrespective of process employed
(cold box or inorganic process), sand
temperature, core sand standby time,
and catalytic gas temperature are
always important parameters to control.
Analysis and improvement of core
making process and equipment
Comparison of core making processes
Focussing on three key parameters –
sand temperature, core sand standby
time and catalytic gas temperature –
weaknesses in the relative stages of the
12

traditional core making process are
optimised, as is shown in Figure 4. The
optimised version avoids the storage of
core sand and improves or simplifies the
other stages. It results in improved control
of the three parameters noted.
Layout and optimization
In accordance with the proposed
changes in the core making process, the
layout of the traditional core making
unit, asshown in Figure 5, is modified
to improve control of the three variables.
Applying an integrated design
concept, anew type of core making
unit MiCC (Mingzhi Technology Integration
Core Centre) is developed, which is
illustrated in Figure 6. Additionally, an
intelligent control system MiCL (Mingzhi
Technology Intelligence Core Control)
is developed for this unit, enabling
closed loop control of these variables in
the core-making process.
Improved temperature control of sand
Since silica sand has poor thermal conductivity,
asand temperature control
device in the form of an air heat
exchanger isdeveloped. It is designed
as acompact structure, easily integrated
with the sand storage structure. Aided
by MiCL’s calculation of the monitoring
core sand temperature, the temperature
range of input sand can be broadened
from 5-35°Cto0-50°C. That is
to say, the addition of the temperature
controller offers more effective and
precise control of the input temperature
than without it.
Table 2: Core sand standby time of traditional unit.
Category Process Number of cores
made per hour
Inner core
(complex, thin wall)
Outer mould
(simple, thick wall)
Figure 5: Layout of aconventional core-making unit.
Standby time
in min
Cold box 60 > 30
Inorganic 40 > 45
Cold box 45 > 15
Inorganic 30 > 20
Table 3: Core sand standby time of optimized unit.
Category
Inner core
Outer mould
Process
Number of cores
made per hour
Maximum standby
time in min
Cold box 60 2
Inorganic 40 3
Cold box 45 1.5
Inorganic 30 2
Core sand standby time
The integrated core making unit simplifies
the cycle of the core sand transportation.
The channel and transitional
funnel (shown in Figure 5) are cancelled.
The sand mixer defines the sand
addition through the conversion of
MiCL calculation results based on the
amount of mixed sand, the volume of
shot sand, and time of one patch. Then,
it adds the core sand to cylinder directly,
which means instant use of core sand
and ashorter standby time
The measured standby time of the
traditional unit is listed in Table 2,
whilst that of the integrated core making
unit is in Table 3. After optimization,
the core sand standby time
becomes 10%versus the traditional
time.
Catalytic gas temperature
In the traditional core making unit layout,
the catalytic gas heater is generally
set on the steel platform, which means
the pipe connecting it to the hood is
3-8m. As aresult, there is approximately
50 %loss of gas temperature
before gas is transferred into the hood,
due to the length of pipeline, which is a
more notable phenomenon in cold
environments and seasons, such as wintertime.
The integrated core making unit
applies the high-efficiency curing technology.
Itaccomplishes a‘0 distance’
(

COREMAKING
Table 4: Comparison of heater performance.
Category Traditional Optimized Trend Extent in %
Heat loss in % 50-60 10-20 Descend 30 - 50
Curing energy
(only cold box) in kWh/kg
0.009 0.0045 Descend 50
Catalyst consumption
(only cold box) Catalyst used/
weight of core in ml/kg
1–1.5 0.5 –0.7 Descend 30-50
Curing efficiency (time in s)
20 - 30
(Cold box)
30 - 50
(inorganic)
10 - 20
(Cold box)
15 - 25
(inorganic)
Descend 30 - 50
Descend 50
Figure 6: Layout of the integrated core-making unit
unit, MiCC. Quality and efficiency have
been greatly improved, while material
energy savings is achieved. It can reduce
customer operating costs and offer an
improved manufacturing environment.
In the future, the unit will provide
core-making producers with areasonable
solution for upgrading process
transformation and meet the needs of
high-end casting production. In summary,
the proposed integrated casting
core-making equipment leads to amore
environmental-friendly, efficient, and
intelligent solution.
www.mingzhi-tech.eu
References
Huang, T. (2002). Casting Handbook.
Volume4. Modelling materials. China
Machine Press.
Qu, Z., &Ji, Z. (2007). Outline of Process
Optimization Control of Triethylamine
Cold Box. Foundry Engineering, 31(1),
11-15.
Wei, M., Liu, Y.,Pi, Z., &Qin, H.(2013).
Application of Inorganic Binder in Aluminum
Alloy Casting. Foundry Engineering,
2:26-29.
Yang, L., &Xu, L. (2021). High-efficiency
blowing and curing technology of core
making machine. World foundry, 11:
67-72.
Patricia Fredal, International Marketing,
Suzhou Mingzhi Technology Co., Ltd.
14

PROCESS
Photos and graphics: Metalshub
Metalshub offers adigital supply-chain solution
for raw materials in the metal industry.
Foundry raw materials and consumables
Sustainable, transparent
and efficient purchasing
The procurement of raw materials and consumables naturally plays aspecial role in the
functions ofafoundry. Raw materials are the largest cost item of any foundry, and the
purchase price of raw materials thus directly determines the sale price of castings. At the
same time, however, the quality and availability of raw materials have adecisive influence
on afoundry’s production.
By Frank Jackel, Duesseldorf
Despite the major importance of
the purchased raw materials
regarding the success and operative
processes of afoundry, many of
them have barely changed or adapted
their purchasing of raw materials to
meet the altered market conditions.
Tendering by e-mail within alimited circle
of recipients, or even ordering by
phone without any competitive tendering
process, is the norm in most companies.
Then purchasing, in effect,
becomes operative procurement –and
the task is basically to keep an eye on
inventories and re-order when required.
Challenges for the foundry
industry posed by raw material
purchases
But, especially in this day and age,
foundries should pay particular attention
to raw material purchases. In order
to be competitive and attractive in
future, the foundry industry cannot
overlook certain significant trends. The
purchasing task of the future should
embrace the following measures, and
transition from purely operative procurement
to strategic raw material purchasing:
1. Increase the process efficiency and
transparency of raw material purchases.
2. Ensure effective quality management,
efficient supplier management,
and the fulfilment of all the
requirements in the Supply Chain
Due Diligence Act (LkSG).
3. Enable simple and efficient auditability,
particularly at foundries that
are certified automotive suppliers.
4. Carry out systematic determination
of the CO 2
emissions of the purchased
raw materials (Scope 3emissions)
to create acomprehensive CO 2
balance.
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 15

PROCESS
Figure 1: The Metalshub profile.
5. Undertake the management of raw
material price risks and volatility
through price transparency and
expansion of the supplier circle.
6. Maintain amodern presence to
attract skilled employees.
The above-mentioned measures are difficult
to achieve using manual purchasing
processes. These measures require
digital support to ensure amodern and
up-to-date process.
Metalshub (Figure 1)offers foundries
acustomized and rapidly implementable
digital purchasing solution –
already used by many companies in the
iron and steel industry –tomeet precisely
these challenges. Users such as
Lohmann Edelstahl or the Georgsmarienhütte
Group use Metalshub to
successfully manage their purchasing
process.
Digital process replaces manual
purchasing
The purchasing process at each individual
foundry is characterized by six main
steps (Figure 2). Whereby the tender
itself (the enquiry process), mostly sent
to stock suppliers as an e-mail, is arapid
step. Some of the upstream and downstream
processes are far more time-consuming
and prone to errors when carried
out manually. When aneed has
been reported to apurchasing department
and the tendering process has
been carried out, offers should be uniformly
compared. The more suppliers
are asked and make an offer, the more
complicated it is to make atransparent
and audit-proof offer comparison table
that ensures that all the offers are
taken into account during selection. If
an approval process is necessary (only
sensible before conclusion of acontract),
the approving authority must
have the necessary information (such as
an offer comparison table with comparisons
toindependent market prices) in
order to be able to make areasonable
assessment of the offers. The creation
of alegally valid contract can, of course,
take place verbally and be accepted
after sending an order confirmation.
Agreement with the terms and conditions
that accompany acontract should,
however, berecorded in acontractual
document and confirmed by both sides.
Leaving the valid terms and conditions
open, or even permitting competing
terms and conditions (battle of the
forms), is negligent and inadvisable
even if this is frequently the case. If the
contractual documentation is prepared
manually, itisoften left tothe supplier
to save the buyer time. Here, too, mistakes
can creep in or there may be deviations
from the order confirmation,
resulting in considerable legal uncertainty.
Preparation of the order confirmation
and drawing up the invoice
involves the (usually manual) input of
the data in the inventory management
system –another potential source of
mistakes. The data in the system subsequently
also serve as the basis for controlling
and auditing, but are incomplete
because the market price and the
offer comparison table are not recorded
in the system.
Acomplete digital process is indispensable
in order to design the entire
process chain so that it is more efficient
and audit-proof, transcription errors are
avoided, and employees have transparent
data available. When both suppliers
and buyers are connected together
on the same system they always see the
same data for anegotiation. The purchaser
has an overview of the progress
of anegotiation at any time and can
concentrate on the priorities of their
work: generating value in purchasing.
This is precisely what Metalshub offers
by networking suppliers and buyers on
asingle platform. The digital solution’s
audit-proofing also protects the company
and all its employees against compliance
violations.
Figure 2: The digital purchasing process on Metalshub.
16

Quality management is decisive
in purchasing, simple onboarding
of new suppliers possible
The dependability of suppliers and the
quality of the raw materials supplied
are naturally of decisive importance for
the ultimate quality of foundry products.
But because many foundries do
not have any analytical possibilities of
their own, many companies rely on a
very few previously approved suppliers.
But they, inturn, obtain their products
from avariety of sources, which can
cause considerable quality fluctuations
in the delivery chain –often unrecognized
byincoming goods inspections or
in the production area, or simply perceived
as variations in the output quantity.
Inaddition to regular and random
analyses of the raw material supplied,
foundries should evaluate every delivery
intheir system and record all fluctuations
in the output quantity so that
accurate and complete documentation
is available for supplier assessment. Furthermore,
if foundries make their purchases
via an open platform they can
also include ratings input by other purchasers.
In addition to the documentation
obligation to ensure the consistently
high quality of casting products, further
stipulations in the Supply Chain Due Diligence
Act come into force in 2023 –
requirements for companies with more
than 3,000 employees in 2023 and more
than 1,000 employees in 2024. Certificates
of origin will have to be obtained,
and compliance ensured along the
entire delivery chain. Non-observance
of this can lead tosevere penalties for
companies, which may in some cases
represent several percent of sales. The
Supply Chain Due Diligence Act pays
special attention to raw materials, so
foundries should not simply rely on
their suppliers here. This will involve a
considerable amount of documentation,
which will be difficult to derive
with apurchasing process based on
e-mails.
Digital solutions are of decisive
importance if companies want to master
these challenges without massively
driving upthe costs for fulfilling their
obligations. For this purpose, Metalshub
offers adigital supplier management
process that systematically records all
transactions and deliveries, based on
regular supplier assessment. The data
can be called up at any time for transparent
controlling. Certificates of origin
can be added on completion of every
contract, and Metalshub carries out a
METALSHUB
Metalshub is acloud-based specialist purchasing solution for trading raw
materials for the metal industry –with more than 1,300 registered companies.
Founded in 2016, Metalshub has been offering the iron and steel industry an
efficient and user-friendly platform for trading raw materials since early 2018,
and isavailable in nine languages.
Companies use the platform to conclude legally valid contracts for trades
in raw materials with competent and inspected trading partners. The platform
permits buyers to issue tenders both privately (i.e. only invited companies)
and publicly (all registered companies). In addition, there are avariety of
modes available, e.g. auctions or negotiating mode, and buyers can choose
from between fixed prices and index-based tenders.
In 2021 alone, raw materials worth about USD 1bn. were traded via
Metalshub, involving more than 150 different products. Since October 2021,
Metalshub has also been an exclusive cooperation partner of the London
Metal Exchange (LME) for the physical trading of non-ferrous metals.
In addition to the trading platform, Metalshub offers transparent and
dependable price indices for important alloys and raw materials, as well as
financing solutions for companies.
comprehensive examination of every
supplier when they register, and regularly
monitors them for any sanctions
etc., using the same platform.
IATF-compliant records of all
critical data in asingle system
In addition to the requirements mentioned
above, foundries that supply the
automotive sector must compulsorily
fulfil further obligations resulting from
IATF-certification. These include, among
other things, asystematic onboarding
of suppliers with monitoring and
recording of all quality certificates, an
IATF-compliant clearance process for
new suppliers, and the regular assessment
of suppliers within the framework
of customary business operations.
Foundries, however, are dependent
on the systematic expansion of the supplier
base inorder to increase resilience
in the delivery chain. It must therefore
be possible to onboard new suppliers
easily and efficiently. There are, however,
considerable differences in how
this is handled, and the success of many
companies correlates with the efficiency
and agility of their processes. While
some companies apply asensible and
pragmatic approval process based on
the specification of raw materials, others
find ordering raw materials from a
new supplier almost impossible due to
very strict interpretation of the IATF
rules –even if the chemical specification
is right, or the material is from the same
producer but traded by adifferent
intermediate dealer that lacks approval.
IATF audits may involve weeks of
preparation in almost all companies,
and proving the existence of aseamless
quality management system is often
very complex because some of the data
is not digitally recorded and/or must be
put together from different systems.
Digital solutions such as Metalshub can
provide enormous added value here.
Tedious preparations for audits become
athing of the past when all the data
have been logged, e.g. the specifications,
certificates, and assessment of
deliveries from the supplier profile.
Systematic recording ofScope 3
CO 2
emissions for each raw material
delivery
Successfully implementing the climate
goals in Europe and the world not only
requires determining Scope 1(direct
CO 2
emissions) and Scope 2emissions
(indirect via electricity), but also Scope 3
emissions (Figure 3), i.e. those that originate
from the purchase of primary
materials and services in the value-creation
chain.
Scope 3emissions can represent a
considerable proportion of the total
emissions of afoundry product. In some
segments, e.g. stainless steel, they can
make up more than 50 %oftotal emissions.
Making savings, as well as contributing
towards climate protection,
require acompany to reduce their
Scope 3emissions. If foundries want to
establish their CO 2
footprint for the
buyers of their products they can only
fall back on average values that they
must collate themselves.
In addition, the EU has introduced
the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
(CBAM) to prevent so-called car-
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 17

PROCESS
Figure 3: Scope 3emissions by product.
bon leakage. Purchasers of certain
products must report the quantity and
corresponding CO 2
emissions of the purchased
goods –and materials such as
iron, steel or aluminum are among the
first products for which such reporting
is necessary. From 2026 it will even be
necessary to purchase CBAM certificates
to offset the CO 2
emissions. But nobody
is now sufficiently prepared for the systematic
determination of Scope 3emissions
within the framework of CBAM,
nor can companies show acomplete
CO 2
balance for their products based on
data from different producers.
Metalshub enables purchasing companies
to carry out tracking of Scope 3
CO 2
emissions per transaction. Suppliers
can input their individual CO 2
intensity
for apurchased product and document
it with acertificate. Wherever no data
for CO 2
intensity are currently available,
the Sustainability Research Team at
Metalshub provides reliable data –
which isconstantly becoming more
effective thanks to the increasing activity
of producers using the Metalshub
platform. The resultant database is
unique in the industry, and permits
companies to prove their climate-protection
achievements to customers.
reached rock bottom, many prices
climbed to absolute all-time highs (Figure
4) just one year later. While one can
speculate onaparticular market price
development and, for example, try to
cover oneself using long-term contracts
at fixed prices, this can rapidly become
arisk for the entire company if the
price goes down. Correspondingly, the
aim must always be to purchase at current
market prices and, where possible,
react torising prices by means of material
surcharges. But how can one ensure
that one ispurchasing at fair and current
market prices and that there is sufficient
competition between suppliers?
First of all, abroad and flexibly
growing range of suppliers is important
in raw material purchasing to generate
sufficient competition among the suppliers.
Metalshub enables this via a
wide-ranging network of inspected and
trustworthy suppliers that use the platform
for their offers. So Metalshub
ensures fair market prices. In addition,
Metalshub is the first platform to provide
worldwide transaction-based price
indices for numerous alloys and metals,
giving users an overview of the market
price during negotiations. Digital
records thus give buyers complete transparency
when purchasing raw materials.
By using Metalshub, the purchaser in
turn contributes towards the constant
updating of the indices. The transparent
aggregation of numerous transactions
tocreate aprice index point also
ensures that the data can be trusted,
with only the buyer and seller of the
goods knowing the individual price of a
transaction. Data security at Metalshub
is also ensured by an experienced IT
team, modern encryption mechanisms,
and restricted employee access to data.
Increased attractiveness through
the use of modern media
Finding suitable and skilled personnel is
amajor challenge for all companies.
Paper-based processes put young applicants
off, and in-house databases and
Excel tables make it difficult to transfer
tasks to new employees. The use of
modern tools and platforms contributes
towards presenting acompany as an
attractive employer, and should not be
underestimated.
Metalshub offers courses and training
programs onthe use of its platform,
as well as attractive and interesting
Reducing the price risk with
more suppliers and greater price
transparency
Raw material markets are characterized
by their volatility and acertain price
transparency. Although market prices at
the start of the coronavirus pandemic
Figure 4: Metalshub is specially adapted to meet sector needs.
18

seminars on the raw material markets –ensuring a
smooth transition to the new and younger generation,
and providing attractive further education
opportunities.
Make or buy?
As shown above, the use of digital tools will be indispensable
for the success of afoundry in future. The
decision about whether acompany purchases appropriate
digital tools or develops them themselves can
be made on the basis of familiar criteria:
1. Is it possible to decisively differentiate ourselves
from the competition by developing our own solution?
2. Does the company have the software development
competence required?
3. Can we wait 12 months or more for afunctional
version?
If just one question is answered with ‘no’ the company
should not attempt to develop its own solution.
The question ofwhether asolution from outside the
sector is suitable for purchasing raw materials can be
answered on the basis of simple criteria:
1. Do raw materials/metals play aminor role in total
purchasing volumes?
2. Is the company ready to make considerable compromises
when using the tool for purchasing raw
materials?
3. Is the company able or willing to afford external
consultants to adapt and implement the solution?
Here, too, if one of the questions is answered with
‘no’ the company should not attempt to use a
non-sector-specific solution, or even one specifically
intended for adifferent industry. The cost is high; the
yield (in the sense of savings and process advantages)
tends to be low.
Sector expertise and customization for sector
requirements are just two of the reasons why leading
and pioneering companies trust Metalshub, and use
the platform for their purchases of raw materials and
consumables (Figure 5). Rapid and goals-oriented
implementation by digital experts with knowledge of
raw materials mostly permits acomprehensive start
after just afew weeks. Company employees are supported
by dedicated experts, and acompany’s own IT
development team can soon implement important
requirements using the tool. Customized connections
to the goods management system permit error-free
data transmission into the company’s own systems,
and thus further efficiency benefits. The improved
data basis leads to increased transparency and more
savings potentials in companies. Metalshub employees
are pleased to deal with queries and questions at any
time.
www.metals-hub.com
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Learn more
exone.com/inorganicbinder

COMPANY
Raw material sourcing dependence on China
How are suppliers strategically
dealing?
Raw material prices have been rising sharply for anumber of reasons, including extreme
demand, and supply bottlenecks are causing serious problems for manufacturers –the
raw material crisis is keeping the world on tenterhooks and is likely to do so for some
time to come. Companies and suppliers in the foundry industry must adapt tothe changing
conditions as best they can, because there isnolight atthe end of the tunnel in
sight for the time being.
by Thomas Pfeiffer, Vice President Global Sourcing HA Group
The be-all and end-all:
aglobal network
The Hüttenes-Albertus Group (HA) is
represented in over 30 countries worldwide.
We manage abroad portfolio of
chemical raw materials, minerals and
sands –from niche specialty materials to
large-volume commodities.
In order to ensure that our sourcing
for all HA companies is crisis-proof, the
group’s strategic and operational levels
work closely together, yet separately:
HA’s strategic sourcing operates centrally,
while our operational activities
are managed locally, close to our customers,
at production sites worldwide.
The global companies of the HA
Group’s sourcing network are in constant
communication via digital media
in order toensure that product market
information can be transparently
exchanged on an international level.
With knowledge of the processes and
changes inthe various countries, HA
companies worldwide are able to react
quickly, even in times of bottlenecks,
and to help each other immediately, in
case of need. It is this close networking
that allows us to effectively maintain
our supply chain.
20

Photo: HA Group
Supply chain disruptions are still ongoing.
Graphic: Statista
Global sourcing in an era of
‘perfect storms’.
HA‘S MOTTO IS: “HOPE FOR THE BEST
AND PLAN FOR THE WORST“
The challenges in 2020 to 2022
As in 2020, this year has also already
been marked by significant disruptions
caused by the coronavirus crisis. The
pandemic is aburden on the global
economy, and companies are facing
immense challenges. At the beginning
of the pandemic, HA’s sourcing department
initially focused on assessing our
suppliers’ ability to deliver and their
financial stability. Weneeded to adjust
to the sharp decrease in demand from
end customers. Ontop of that, an
unprecedented combination of events
occurred in Q3 2021 and exacerbated
an already tense situation and continues
todoso:
> Highly volatile swings in demand
make it difficult to plan effectively.
> Suppliers and logistics partners have
ashortage of personnel.
> One-off incidents, such as the UK’s
exit from the EU and the blockage
of the Suez Canal, have exacerbated
an already challenging situation.
> The number of force majeure
reports is increasing.
Yes, companies face one or more challenges
of this nature from time to
time, but the fact that all of these
events (and their knock-on effects)
have hit the world simultaneously is
unprecedented. The world has never
seen a‘perfect storm’ on this scale
before.
Astrategy for the storm
In dealing with so many concurrent
obstacles and disruptions, it is more
important than ever to have acohesive
and dedicated workforce. HA’s purchasing
team isclosely networked, working
globally and along the entire process
chain –and this is what enables us to
ensure the efficiency and quality of
our deliveries.
No all-clear for 2022
The semi-conductor shortage continues,
energy cost increases need to be
assessed and, in China in particular,
stringent measures to reduce energy
consumption and carbon emissions
are having an increasing impact. In
order to remain fit for the future,
companies must strategically adapt
to the challenges and developments on
the horizon.
The role of China
China is an indispensable core sourcing
market for all industries –whether as a
direct supplier or as asupplier to acompany’s
own suppliers. In order to plan
more effectively and ensure we are prepared
for any eventuality, HAincorporates
the Chinese government’s plans
into our own strategies. Our motto is
“Hope for the best and plan for the
worst”.
www.agtos.com
375-01/22-4c-GB

COMPANY
b. We analyse the carbon footprint of
all of the raw materials we buy and
incorporate this as acriterion when
we decide which suppliers or products
we work with.
c. Sustainability is firmly anchored in
our strategy and in all our terms and
conditions of ordering, worldwide.
d. We are networked across the HA
Group through an internationally
certified system. Our standards and
principles are global.
3. Digitalisation/Processes
Photo: HA Group
Three core issues will shape the sourcing future atHA.
HA’s sourcing strategy is based on
supply chains from at least two continents.
Nevertheless, we recognise that
this may not be enough on its own
given the situation today and in the
months and years to come. We know
how important it is to maintain close
lines of communication with our customers
and to have alternative solutions
tested and approved in case they
are needed.
Even and especially in times when
face-to-face meetings are not possible,
transparent communication plays akey
role. HA’s sourcing department regularly
communicates digitally and directly
with our own suppliers –inChina and
elsewhere around the world. Intercultural
communication and understanding
the situation of the different stakeholders
istherefore one of the core
competencies of agood sourcing manager.
The issues that will
shape the future
The raw material situation in China is
not the only factor that is creating
uncertainty today and tomorrow. At
HA, weaspire to be adependable partner
for our customers –locally, regionally
and globally –for years to come. In
addition to performing our regular
sourcing tasks, there are three core
issues that we believe will shape the
future:
> Resilience
> Sustainability
> Digitalisation &Processes
We have clearly defined each of these
three core areas for our teams and have
used them as the basis of anew set of
pragmatic principles that will guide our
future business.
1. In our day-to-day business life, resilience
means:
a. The consistent implementation of a
supply chain /product strategy, in
combination with sourcing from
suppliers in different regions.
Where this is not possible, we conclude
clear, long-term supply contracts.
b. Thinking outside the box and, where
appropriate, identifying alternative
products and suppliers.
c. Proactively optimising the coordination
ofour demand planning processes.
2. HA is committed to sustainability
along the entire process chain:
a. We expect clear commitments from
our suppliers, who are required to
sign and comply with our Supplier
Code of Conduct, or provide us with
their own appropriately equivalent
code.
Our strategy in terms of automation,
data processing, new systems, and interdisciplinary
collaboration is based on
the following principles:
a. HA uses astandard sourcing process
that is as close to fully automated as
possible and makes the best use of
enterprise resource planning (ERP)
software capabilities.
b. We use automated systems and
information programmes wherever
possible to allow our sourcing teams
to focus on their core tasks.
c. Data analytics: information and data
from all over the world help us to
determine the most appropriate
strategic actions.
d. Last but not least, AI tools and automated
programmes play an important
role in identifying the best suppliers,
possible alternative products
and faster processes for HA.
These are major tasks in challenging
times. They represent aserious test and
one that faces us all.
Only companies that resolutely
embrace these challenges and constantly
adapt their own strategies flexibly to the
latest circumstances will emerge from
the crisis stronger and, above all, be and
remain reliable and dependable partners
for their customers.
www.ha-group.com
Thomas Pfeiffer, executive board member,
Vice President Global Sourcing HA
Group
22

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Vanessa Wollstein
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vanessa.wollstein@dvs-media.info

PROCESS
Graphite and graphite electrodes
Dependence on China indifficult times
China is by far the world’s largest graphite supplier, with 70 %ofglobal production. In
2017 and 2018, users of graphite electrodes had already experienced that this could
become aproblem. Turmoil erupted in spring 2017 –panic purchases by procurement
managers at steelworks and the unreliability ofmany contractual partners caused an
eightfold rise (and sometimes even more) in the market price. The events of recent weeks
indicate that asimilar scenario threatens tooccur again now.
By Benjamin Sarkoezy, Wiesbaden
Photo: AdobeStock -robu_s
As was the case then, there are
now signs of asituation in
which political interference is
colliding with ashortage of raw materials,
leading toarapid increase in electrode
prices.
Anti-dumping tariff onChinese
graphite electrodes
On 17 February 2021, the European
Commission announced that it would
start an immediate investigation into
whether Chinese producers of graphite
electrodes were violating anti-dumping
rules by selling their electrodes at
prices below the production costs of
non-Chinese producers in the EU.
Within afew days, the investigations
had triggered astampede for the
material because every user of Chinese
electrodes feared that they would be
hit by aretrospective tariff ifthe goods
arrived in Europe too late. This resulted
in price rises of about EUR 200 to 300
per week.
This tense state of uncertainty continued
until mid-September, when initial
results ofthe investigation and the
probable level of the anti-dumping
tariff were published. As aresult,
importers have been hit by avariety of
tariffs that have been in effect since 16
October 2021. Electrodes made by Chinese
producers who, in the judgement
of the EU, “cooperated” during the
investigation by permitting complete
access to their books were charged levies
of 21.6%. Producers that lacked
such transparency were punished with
atariff rate of66.5%, three times
higher. Some designated producers,
such as the Fangda Group (one of the
largest manufacturers) or the Liaoning
Dantan Technology Group were allocated
tariffs of 24.5% and 17.5%
respectively.
Raw material and energy
costs soar
While demand for electrodes fell in
Europe as aresult ofthe approaching
anti-dumping decision, producers in
China were worried about rising raw
material costs and therefore reduced
their electrode production volumes.
This was because the manufacture of
graphite electrodes for steel production
was increasingly competing for the
e-vehicle (EV) market with the manufacture
of synthetic graphite. Both forms
of synthetic graphite require the same
raw materials: graphite electrodes are
produced using petroleum coke or needle
coke with coal pitch as abinder,
accounting for about 67% of production
costs. Prices for needle coke alone
rose by 20% in the summer of 2021.
In addition, production of graphite
electrodes requires the same technical
plants as used to produce battery
anodes, namely so-called graphitization
plants with which carbon is converted
to graphite. Many users of such plants
in China now focus on the anode and
e-vehicle market because purchasers are
ready to pay ahigher price for the
graphitization. Demand for EV anodes
is growing, reducing the availability of
electrodes for steel production.
Moreover, the conversion process of
carbon to graphite electrodes is highly
energy-intensive, so production costs
are normally subject to significant price
fluctuations due to ever-changing electricity
prices. These higher electricity
costs are passed on to users of graphite
electrodes. Chinese electrode producers
currently have tobattle with restrictions
in energy consumption and high electricity
costs, particularly in the provinces
of Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Henan,
the main regions for graphite electrode
production.
24

Freight costs impossible to tame
In addition, European industry has been
facing the headache of rising freight
costs for several months now. Steelworks
therefore pay considerably
higher purchase prices and expect delivery
delays, also due to ashortage of
containers.
The current situation
and prospects
Up to now, many electrode consumers
have relied on their large stocks this
year instead of purchasing replacement
material. Similarly, the electrode producers
have reacted to the rising raw
material prices and production costs by
depleting their stocks. Inventories are
now running low, however, and this can
be seen from the rapidly rising prices –
at arate of about EUR 500 per week.
Some of the above-mentioned reasons
for the renewed price rises, such as
the high transport costs, should be of a
short-term nature and normalize in a
few months. Other aspects, such as the
rising raw material prices and capacity
utilization rates, are not so easy to
reverse as they involve the megatrend
of e-mobility.
The availability of graphite electrodes for
steel production depends on graphite deliveries
from China.
Despite rising costs for Chinese electrode
producers, ashift in electrode
production to Europe would be difficult
because there is little political support
for the construction of new energy-intensive
and potentially environmentally
damaging plants.
Parts ofthe market are panicking,
and it is not easy to determine the current
price level because it is changing
almost daily. And nobody wants to
make any binding offers. Just like in
2017 and 2018.
The latest developments
Following initial publication of this article,
the European Commission started
anti-subsidy proceedings on 18 November
2021 regarding the import of Chinese
graphite electrodes. This was initiated
after local producers Graphite
Cova, Showa Denko Carbon Holding
and Tokai ErftCarbon had made aspecial
request on 4October. The period
under investigation included the entire
year of 2020 and referred to the same
electrode specifications as had already
been examined in the previous
anti-dumping investigation.
These anti-subsidy proceedings were
intended to determine “whether the
product under investigation originating
in the country concerned is being subsidized
and whether the subsidized
imports have caused injury to the Union
industry” according to an announcement
by the EU. So there is athreat of
additional costs for purchasing graphite
electrodes from 2022 onwards.
www.geseurope.de
Benjamin Sarkoezy, CEO,
GES Europe GmbH
your Partner
for turnKey Projects
in no-bake moulding shops for:
•moulding lines
•continuous mixers
•mechanical and thermal reclamations
•chromite separations
Smooth pneumatic conveying system for:
•sand •bentonite •carbon •filter dust
QuAliTY
maDe In germany
FATFörder- und Anlagentechnik GmbH ·D-57572 Niederfischbach ·Tel.+49 (0) 27 34/509-0 ·fat.info@f-a-t.de · www.f-a-t.de

COMPANY
Sand casting replicates for historical fittings
Historical design, new material: door and
window handles cast in India for the restoration
of listed buildings.
Traditional craftsmanship
reinvigorated
It all started with avisit to aflea market: having bought aprotected listed building,
businessman Volker Eloesser was searching for period fittings for his doors and windows.
When he failed to find any, hecame across Indian foundries that could produce replicates
of historical castings that were true tothe original. This was the seed for abusiness idea.
By Jan Kretzmann, Düsseldorf
Anyone wanting to professionally
restore aprotected listed building
knows the difficulties
involved –not just that there are many
regulations that must be complied with.
The procurement of historical original
parts often turns into an Odyssey. This
was also the experience of Volker
Eloesser, Managing Director of Ventano
Beschläge GmbH in Bissendorf. The
businessman had purchased ahistoric
Meierhof from the 17th century (a
building occupied by the administrator
of anoble or ecclesiastical estate) and
came up against aproblem when looking
for the required original door fittings
and window handles: it was very
difficult to find the parts, hundreds of
years old and made of cast iron or brass,
in sufficient numbers in Europe. It was
like an Odyssey. After many visits to flea
markets, he realized that he had to find
an alternative. Why not produce a
replica that is optically identical to the
original?
Sand casting made in India: with
alot of manual work
Eloesser’s search for suitable companies
finally bore fruit in northern India. This
is aregion with numerous small foundries
that master the sought-for traditional
craftsmanship and can carry out
individual sand casting to meet customer
requirements –everything, of
course, within the framework of what is
possible there, because the technical
conditions are very different. There is a
lot ofmanual work involved. So
Eloesser sent the first original examples
to India to be copied. The coordination
and correction loops were very complicated,
but inthe end he obtained finished
castings –new ‘old’ fittings and
handles that looked just like their historical
originals.
‘Individuality is trumps for us’: Volker
Eloesser, Managing Director of Ventano
Beschläge GmbH, with aselection of newly
cast fittings and handles from various eras.
Final assembly and inspection
takes place in Germany
What was originally aprivate interest
rapidly turned into abusiness idea:
Eloesser, who started out in the soft-
Photo: Ventano
26

ON VENTANO:
Ventano Beschläge GmbH is atrading company in Bissendorf in lower Saxony
(near Osnabrück) that has specialized in replica historical door fittings and
window handles for renovating listed buildings. Whether art nouveau, Gründerzeit
(the economic phase in 19th century Germany and Austria before the
great crash of 1873) or Baroque: the supplier has made aname for itself in
the scene with arange of more than 15,000 products. Customers from all over
the world can order via the online configurator and are advised by employees
who specialize in traditional crafts, trade, architecture, art history and technology.
The focus on individuality is clear to see. Casting of the brass or grey iron
replicas takes place using the sand casting process with alot of manual work
in northern India, the location of many small foundries that still master this
traditional craftsmanship. The products undergo inspection, final assembly
and refinement in Germany. More information is available at www.ventano-beschlaege.de.
Pneumatic conveying
technology
For dry, free-flowing, abrasive and
abrasion-sensitive material
Core sand preparation
technology
For organic and inorganic processes,
turn-key systems including sand,
binder and additive dosing and
core sand distribution
Made in India: awhole region of northern
India lives off traditional foundry
workmanship. The most varied of brass
and grey iron products are made here
using sand casting –many of them land
in the souvenir shops for tourists. Businessman
Eloesser uses this expertise to
produce replicas for doors and windows
that are true to the original.
ware sector, had already moved into the
building component segment after the
new economy bubble burst and he saw
agap in the market for these reasonably
priced replicas from India. Using
the company he manages, Ventano Beschläge
GmbH, Eloesser started sending
the replicas cast in India to architects,
window construction firms, as well as
private restorers. Initially, the range was
limited to afew products. Now the
company offers more than 15,000 different
models, whereby customers can
order using an online configurator and
can even make certain adaptations.
Before the fittings can be sent to
customers, however, further work is
required: only the casting itself is made
in India. After arrival in Germany, each
casting is first inspected for dimensional
accuracy and quality. The safety and
standard-relevant inner life of the components
–for example, the screws,
square spindles and steel plates for
mounting –are made in Germany. Special
customer requirements, such as the
milling of hard-to-access keyholes, are
processed here too. Awin-win situation
in which builders and specialist companies
are offered relatively reasonably
priced possibilities for professionally
restoring historical components while
supporting traditional skilled workmanship
in northern India.
Reclamation technology
Reclamation systems for
no-bake sand and core sand,
CLUSTREG ®
for inorganically
bonded core sands
Shock wave technology
CERABITE ®
clean castings
The reliable solution for the
removal of residual sand
and coatings of
demanding castings
KLEIN Anlagenbau AG
KLEIN Stoßwellentechnik GmbH
asubsidiary of KLEIN Anlagenbau AG
Obere Hommeswiese 53-57
57258 Freudenberg |Germany
Phone +49 27 34 |501 301
info@klein-group.eu
www.klein-ag.de
www.stosswellentechnik.de
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 27

CASTING
In the new two-chamber
vacuum casting
plant (left) the shell
no longer cools
uncontrollably while
the ingot is melting.
Photos: The Blank Group
Vacuum casting
Automation and two-chamber
vacuum casting plant optimizes
production and quality
As asupplier tothe automotive industry, the BLANK Group employs the vacuum casting
process to produce alarge proportion ofthe investment castings for the sector using
nickel-based alloys. In order to improve quality and increase output quantity, the existing
single-chamber plant has now been modified and expanded using an innovative
concept.
By Manuela Schmid
In the existing process, the shells
(which have atemperature of over
1000 °C) are manually removed from
the circular furnace and placed in the
single-chamber plant. In the next step,
employees place afiber crucible with
the still-solid alloy on the shell. Between
the shell and the crucible acoin-sized
‘penny’ ensures that the melt in the subsequent
casting process is uniformly
liquefied under vacuum in the chamber
before the melting of the penny clears
the way into the shell. This penny, so
important for the successful casting process,
is made up of the alloying material
and is located in arecess below the alloy
ingot. The ingot melts from top to bottom
(see lead picture) so that finally the
penny melts, enabling regular shell filling
with the completely liquefied melt.
The problem with the previous process,
however, was that the shell already
cooled uncontrollably during the time it
took the melt to liquefy –which could
lead to defects in the complex investment
castings.
Installation of an additional
two-chamber casting plant has
increased production reliability and
expanded the technical limits. The principle
works as follows: the alloy is
melted in an upper chamber via an
induction coil while the shell is still in
the circular furnace losing no heat. The
plant only signals its readiness to
receive the shell when the melt is ready
28

Figure 1: The casting process in the
two-chamber vacuum casting plant.
for casting. An industrial robot feeds
the shell to the lower chamber within a
few seconds (see lead picture) and then
the air is quickly pumped out to connect
both chamber areas after vacuum
equalization. The shell is then moved to
the pouring position and the cast (Figure
1)ismade by tipping the crucible.
This optimized process more than
halves shell cooling times. It is thus possible
to reliably produce difficult-to-cast
thin-walled parts because the cooling
phase is reduced by two minutes, preventing
casting errors (Figure 2)that
could occur using the single-chamber
vacuum casting plant due to early hardening
ofthe melt. Investment castings,
on which the cooling of the shell has
less effect, are still cast using the existing
single-chamber system. The investment
casters at Black, however, have
gone astep further and connected both
plants, i.e. the single- and the
Figure 2: Typical casting defects with highly
complex investment casting geometries due
to early cooling of the shell.
Figure 3: Arobot is responsible for shell handling in the two-chamber vacuum casting plant.
two-chamber casting plants, to further
automate the process. This connection
was made by arobot that operates
both systems simultaneously. The challenge
here was mainly in the different
timing of the plants. They were, however,
able to coordinate the machines
and the robot in such away that the
robot is responsible for shell handling
and placement of the ingot in the single-chamber
system. The insertion of
the shell and ingot into the plant is also
automated using the robot and alifting
unit. The same robot also operates the
filling of the new two-chamber plant
(Figure 2), achieving fully automated
operation of the machines.
The coordination and movement of
the shells by the robot is only possible
with asophisticated gripping system
developed in-house by several project
teams. So it was possible to arrange
that the various ceramic molds with different
structures are handled by only
one robot gripper, fulfilling the process
requirements of both the single-chamber
and the two-chamber plants.
In afollow-up step, this concept is to
be extended to other plants in the company.
Full automation and integration
of the new two-chamber plant has
enabled Blank to achieve more rapid
throughput and better quality for parts
that are difficult to cast. In order to use
the connected systems, it is necessary to
coordinate the composition of the two
clusters. This adjustment is now to be
carried out on further models, so that in
future more-and-more investment castings
will be produced in series using the
new concept. This will be the next challenge,
according toPeter Schäfer, Manager
of the Casting Department.
Youcan find further
information on the
topic here: https://www.
feinguss-blank.de/en
Manuela Schmid, Press Manager, Feinguss
Blank GmbH, Riedlingen.
THE BLANK GROUP OF COMPANIES –HIDDEN CHAMPION
IN THE HEART OFUPPER SWABIA
Blank isafamily-run company with more than 800 employees. It has been
producing investment castings successfully for over 60 years, and exports them
worldwide. The Blank Group –consisting of Feinguss- und Formenbau Blank
GmbH, B² smart precision in Romania, and Feinguss Blank USA Inc. –isaleading
group of investment casting foundries with aprocessing center in
Europe. No other metal processing technique can produce similarly complex
shapes at comparable prices like investment casting using the lost wax process.
Investment castings made by Blank are characterized by first-class quality,
accuracy down to the finest detail, and an almost inexhaustible variety of
materials. Blank has therefore been the premium partner in the automotive
industry, machine and plant construction, electrical engineering, precision
mechanics, and many other sectors for more than six decades.
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 29

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March 2023

COMPANY
The London Metal Exchange
Infrastructure for functional
futures trading in commodities
Since 1877, the London Metal Exchange (LME) has become established asthe futures
trading exchange for international trade in industrial metals. With amarket share of
more than 80 %, most futures contracts (derivatives) for non-ferrous metals are transacted
through the LME. This generates sales ofmore than USD 14 billion, representing
avolume of about 4billion tonnes ofmaterial.
By Patrick Heisch, Baden-Baden
This enormous trading volume of
non-ferrous metal contracts
accounts for about forty times
total world production. This multiplication
exists because an exchange generally
buys and sells aluminum, for example,
several times although the metal is
only produced once. There are other
important metal exchanges other than
the LME, such as the Shanghai Future
Exchange (SHFE) where many Chinese
market participants trade, the New York
Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), and the
Kuala Lumpur Tin Market (KLTM).
The London Metal Exchange only
provides the infrastructure to enable a
functioning trade in commodity futures
(a trading floor with the ‘Ring’, office
space, administration, aclearing house,
etc.). The LME is not involved in the
trading itself. This is carried out by brokerage
companies that are subject to a
strict approval and registration process,
and are classified into different catego-
32

Photo: LME
The London Metal Exchange is one of the world’s most important trading centers for metals,
e.g. copper.
The trading floor of the LME in London.
Photo: Shutterstock
ries. At present, eight brokerage houses
are approved asso-called Ring Dealing
Members, and they are entitled to take
their place on the red seats arranged in
acircle (the Ring) and conduct trade.
This circular arrangement stems from
the time before the LME was founded
in 1877, when one still met openly in
the street (in front of the Jerusalem
Coffee House) to carry out trading. A
large ring was drawn on the ground in
chalk in order to achieve abetter overview,
and the traders had to stand
behind the line. That is why one still
speaks of the Ring when the individual
metals are traded at their fixed times.
Trading in the Ring
The individual metal contracts are
traded in five-minute cycles during the
four Ring meetings (between 11.40 a.m.
and 5.00 p.m. London time). The Ring
dealers sit at the spaces purchased by
their companies and call out the offers
or the requirements loudly and clearly.
This is why one speaks of the so-called
‘open outcry’ that ensures transparent
and comprehensible trading for the
exchange supervisory authority, preventing
any price-fixing. Conspicuous
behavior by dealers in the Ring leads to
asummons to the supervisory authority
to clarify why, for example, dealers
grinned at one another or made atypical
signs to other dealers. All trading in
the Ring is broadcast and recorded via
microphones and several cameras under
the LME’s own supervision. Members of
the supervisory authority also sit in the
Ring to improve monitoring of the trading
there. The use of mobile phones is
forbidden on the trading floor because
phone conversations cannot be monitored.
As the LME is enormously important
for the world economy due to its
sheer volume of trade, the main priority
of the exchange supervisory authority
and the management of the LME is the
absolute transparency of the business
carried out here to demonstrate to the
world the credibility of the exchange’s
trading. The LME is one of the world’s
last exchanges where such floor trading
still takes place.
Whereby the second Ring meeting
plays the most important role, because
the closing contract agreed then is
taken as the reference price (the LME
Official Settlement Price) and is used as
the price basis for fixing physical contracts
worldwide. In addition to the
actual floor trading in the Ring, trading
is also increasingly being carried out via
an electronic trading platform (LME-
Select) where brokers can enter their
purchase and sell orders into the system
from 1.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. London
time. 24-hour telephone trading provides
athird option. If required, all market
players can use this to participate in
the trading or hedging of metals via
their broker. This trading platform
allows every market participant to telephone
the office of their broker –
whether in London, New York, Tokyo,
Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, or
wherever their broker’s office is open
day or night –and to trade at any time
around the clock. Information, for
example in the late news on TV, about
strikes or production outages caused by,
for instance, asevere storm or disastrous
natural catastrophe in acountry
that produces araw material, may
prompt metal processors to carry out a
price-assurance maneuver by buying on
the LME to protect themselves against
the shortages expected due to the natural
catastrophe, or to sell back short
positions to avoid aloss-making price
rise.
Brokerage companies, producers
(mining companies, metal works), consumers
(manufacturers of semi-finished
products, foundries, processers) and
speculative market participants such as
banks, hedge funds or pension funds all
take part inthe trading. Whereby the
suppliers and users of metals must have
no direct access to the LME’s trading. In
order to buy or sell metal contracts via
the LME, the suppliers and users of metals
must approach alicensed LME bro-
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 33

COMPANY
Photo: Shutterstock
Currently, only eight brokerage firms are admitted to trade on the red seats ‘Ring’) are
allowed to trade.
ker who will carry out the buy or sell
order onbehalf of their customers.
Some brokerage firms also have their
own positions (contracts) in their books
and are thus also active dealers.
26 different contracts are currently
traded: contracts for non-ferrous metals
(copper, aluminum, zinc, nickel, lead,
tin, aluminum alloys, primary aluminum),
precious metals (gold, silver, platinum
and palladium), minor metals
(cobalt, molybdenum, lithium) and iron
(structural steel, steel sheet and scrap
steel). They must all be completed accurately
for LME registration, meeting the
demands ofthe processing industry and
fulfilling the defined requirements of
the LME. In the case of copper or aluminum
this involves their electrical conductivity,
ductility, tensile strength,
maximum permissible chemical impurities,
etc. The high technical and analytical
standards must be constantly guaranteed
by internal and external quality
audits, and proven with ISO certification.
All metals sold on the LME must
therefore meet very clear specifications
regarding their quality, batch size and
shape. These specifications are laid
down in special LME contracts. An LME
contract contains all the elements of a
purchase or sale, such as contract date,
contractual partner, amount traded in
the form of the number of batches,
total tonnage, price per unit (e.g. per
metric tonne), due date (the so-called
‘Prompt Date’). The LME thus takes on
an important role inthe functioning of
the non-ferrous metal market. It basically
has four core functions: price
determination or aprice allocation
function by which supply and demand
are brought into line in the LME offer
via the pricing mechanism; the role of
‘market of last resort’; the function of a
price-hedging platform; as well as the
storage and supply of metals.
Storage of aluminum in an LME warehouse.
Price determination
Market participants who want to buy or
sell come together at the LME. It is a
regulated marketplace for authorized
traders who want to buy or sell the
metals traded there. The LME thus fulfils
the important function of price
determination for the worldwide trading
ofmetals. The price, e.g. for atonne
of copper, increases when the copper
supply is smaller than the demand for
copper. The copper quotations fall if the
supply of copper exceeds demand. This
continues until aprice is found that
that brings supply and demand into
line. This results in an equilibrium price.
This equilibrium price –frequently
called the LME Settlement Price –forms
the basis for fixing the settlement price
at which the contracts for many metals
are settled, e.g. with producers, refineries,
semi-finished works, dealers, etc.
The prices quoted in almost all metal
contracts worldwide relate to the LME,
assuming the metal in question is actually
traded there. The LME therefore
provides the function of price determination
and the regulation of price levels
through supply and demand.
Delivery =warehousing
Producers can store their excess quantities
in an LME warehouse on their own
account, or sell them to an interested
exchange participant for storage. They
thus free themselves of having to
finance large stocks while metal processors,
also for reasons of liquidity preservation,
only collect the metals from the
exchange warehouse as required. There
are more than 600 LME-licensed warehouses
in Europe, the USA and Asia for
this purpose. The best known operators
of LME warehouses are companies such
as C. Steinweg GmbH or Henry Bath &
Son Ltd. The warehouses are mainly
found inregions with high demand for
physical metal and with advantageous
transport connections. Ports are, of
Photo: Shutterstock
34

course, also important for enabling the
receipt of deliveries from overseas.
Hedging
It is also possible to protect against the
risks involved in the prices for purchasing
or selling metal quantities in daily
business via the LME, i.e. to hedge. For
example, aproducer of secondary
blocks purchases input material in the
form of scrap at afixed price per tonne
based onthe Exchange price valid at
the moment contracts are concluded.
On the sales side, however, the producer
does not yet have acustomer for
their finished product. Its sale price will
also be based on the Exchange price
valid at the time of sale. The block producer
thus faces aprice risk because the
price upon which the raw material is
based issubject to constant change at
the Exchange. Any profit calculated into
the purchase decision can very quickly
become impossible to realize because
the price for the metal has fallen
greatly –and the transaction can even
become aloss.
For this reason, immediately after
completion of the purchase or ideally at
the same time, it is advisable to take an
opposite position by selling to the LME
to remove the risk of price fluctuations.
As the block producer’s usual purchaser
(the customer) may not want to purchase
yet due to current falling prices,
the purchaser’s only recourse here is the
possibility ofaforward sale of their
metal to the LME, in the form of copper
cathodes in this example. First of all, the
producer thus ensures the price level
and prevents any loss if the price goes
down. Any loss of physical business is
then compensated for by aprofit at the
LME. Or, conversely, ifthe price of the
physical material on the sale day is
higher than was paid for the original
purchase, there is aloss when buying
back the Exchange position. This, however,
isthen compensated for by a
profit inthe physical business. This
example shows the important role of
the LME: it enables market participants
to use hedging contracts to protect
themselves against any future losses
that could be caused by price fluctuations.
Profits can, of course, also be created
if purchases or sales remain
unhedged, though then one finds oneself
in aspeculative situation –with the
corresponding risks. Speculation is,
however, generally neither desired nor
tolerated by business managements.
There are several types of forward
The LME in the
1970s to 80s. (Picture
from London
Metal Exchange: A
Commodity Market
by Robert Gibson
Jarvie) The LME in
the 1970s to 80s.
(Picture from London
Metal
Exchange: ACommodity
Market by
Robert Gibson
Jarvie)
THE HISTORY OFTHE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE
Metals have always been an important commodity. England’s significance during
the Middle Ages was largely due to alively exchange of goods with the European
mainland –copper, lead and tin in particular were exported for hundreds of
years. The picture changed dramatically, however, with the start of the industrial
revolution in the 19th century. England became an industrial nation and its
consumption ofraw materials rose enormously. Suddenly, almost all metals had
to be obtained from beyond Europe in order to meet the greater needs of the
many factories. The rapid growth of the processing industries during the 19th
century changed England into acountry whose metal consumption was considerably
greater than its production of metals. Tin was now an import metal and
mainly came from Malaysia, while copper was obtained from the new mines in
Chile. Asimilar development took place in Germany in its days of empire and
here, too, the hunger for raw materials grew strongly.
The dealers at the Royal Exchange in London were already trading in metals in
1571, though more within the framework of individual discussions that took place
within the rooms of the Exchange. Aseparate metal exchange only started to
develop in 1877, though the trading did not initially have any fixed structure. The
members continued to complete transactions in small groups or between one
another in different parts of the room. The shortcomings of this type of trading,
regarding both the speed and the open (and therefore probably more honest) provision
of bidding and offer prices, soon became clear. Those who traded in copper
and tin, the two main metals, which were also most suitable for trading in standardized
quantities and qualities, very soon created a‘Ring’, as was already found
in some other goods markets. One of them used to remove apiece of chalk from a
pocket, draw alarge circle on the floor, and everyone gathered in aring in various
places which soon became their regular locations. This was how the basic principle
of the LME was established, and the other metals gradually followed suit.
contracts (derivatives) available at the
LME for such hedging transactions:
Futures contracts
Such acontract is the commitment to
buy or sell aspecified quantity of
batches of adefined metal on adefined
future date at aprice agreed today. The
contract matures up to three months in
the future. Contracts exceeding these
three months (up to 6months) are each
traded with weekly maturity (always on
aWednesday). Those valid more than
six months are traded with monthly
maturity on the third Wednesday of a
month for up to 123 months.
Options
An option contains the right to fulfil a
futures contract at an agreed Strike
Price onthe day of maturity, or to
extend maturity or even let it expire. A
commitment to fulfil only exists if the
owner of the option, the so-called
‘option writer’ or grantor, has sold
options and the purchaser has declared
them. The Strike Price is the value per
tonne upon which afutures contract is
based at the time of purchase of an
option. The most common types of
options are:
Call Option: apurchase option (call)
gives the purchaser the contractually
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 35

COMPANY
Currently, 26different
contracts for metals
are traded on the
LME.
Photo: AdobeStock
assured right to be able to purchase a
specified amount of underlying asset on
previously defined conditions (date,
price, etc.). The counterparty to this
contract is called the option writer
because at any time until expiration of
the period for exercising the option
(the expiry day) they must be able to
supply the reference asset, i.e. they may
not sell the optioned asset. In return,
they receive from the purchaser of the
call afee (a premium) that in most cases
is higher than the earnings of comparable
investments on the equities market.
The purchaser expects rising prices.
They can either sell the option to a
third party or exercise it before the
expiry day. Their risk is limited to their
commitment, i.e. the premium. On the
other hand, the seller is counting on
stagnant or slightly falling prices. If a
purchase option is not exercised it will
expire without value.
Put Option: The purchaser of this
option acquires the right to sell acertain
reference asset (e.g. atonne of
copper) within adefined period at the
agreed price (Strike Price). The counterparty
ofthis contract is called the
option writer (in money) because they
must have the agreed purchase price
available at all times until expiration of
the period for exercising the option
(the expiry day). For this commitment,
the writer obtains afee (premium) from
the purchaser of the put option that in
most cases is higher than the earnings
of comparable investments on the equities
market. The purchaser of aput
option is counting on falling prices, and
if they do fall will make an over-proportional
profit from the option. If the purchaser
is already in possession of the
corresponding reference asset they can
thus secure themselves against losses. If
the price actually falls they then basically
have two alternatives: they can sell
the option at aprofit and probably
roughly offset the price loss for the reference
asset; or they can sell the reference
asset and speculate on afurther
fall in price with the put option. On the
other hand, the seller of aput option
expects rising or at least stagnant
prices; in this case their counterparty is
unlikely to exercise the option, so the
option premium already received can
be booked as aprofit. Because, however,
the option writer (in money) must
honor the contract and purchase the
asset if, against their expectations, the
asset falls in price, their risk is considerable.
Monthly Average Futures
These are LME contracts between two
partners whereby at the end of the contractual
term the subsequent financial
difference is offset by payment. These
contracts contain both afixed price and
afloating monthly average settlement
price (i.e. acommodity value based on
the unknown future monthly average)
for the commodity in the month of
maturity.
Summary
The fundamental principle and core
function of the LME have hardly altered
during its 144-year history, even if there
have been many new developments
and changes. Metal producers and
metal consumers use the quotations
and services of the LME to fix their
physical metal business and, above all,
to hedge against the considerable risks
posed by price fluctuations. Price risk
management activities at the LME are
in effect indispensable for the metal
industry, particularly given the current
enormous price volatility on the raw
material markets (e.g. aluminum: 2021:
+50 %orcopper: 2021: +44 %) caused
by avariety of factors (such as material
shortages, rising energy costs and
extremely high freight rates). The fact
that in recent years the LME has developed
from amarket-regulating instrument
of its members towards aprofitoriented
company should not, however,
be ignored. Speculative market participants
such as hedge funds sometimes
generate more than 80 -85%ofturnover
at the LME. Ultimately, the question
remains about whether the traditional
Ring trading still has afuture
because, since resumption of floor trading
(following the end of the coronavirus
lockdowns) turnover has fallen by
up to 90 %.
www.metalquote.de/en/home-2/
Patrick Heisch, Metalquote Informationsdienste
GmbH
36

DIE CASTING
Die-casting machines
The LEAP die-casting machine.
Cold-chamber die casting
with the LEAP series
The worldwide demand for vehicles with alternative drives has increased enormously
in recent years. The new components required for them –complex and thin-walled,
some with long flow paths –make greater demands of die casting. The LEAP series of
die-casting machines from Yizumi promises maximum precision and repeatability.
By Stefan Fritsche, Foshan City, China
Photos: YIZUMI
Having undertaken wide-ranging
market research and performance
comparisons with stateof-the-art
technologies, Yizumi tackled
the challenges of developing its new
series of die-casting machines to implement
abest-in-class machine technology.
The LEAP series offers maximum
precision and repeatability. Its modern
control system is simple and intuitive
for all users.
This technology platform forms the
basis for intelligent cell integration and
is intended to ensure maximum availability
of entire plants. Yizumi also
focused on developing suitable products
for mold construction and for optimizing
the casting process in order to
further support customers in achieving
competitive overall equipment effectiveness
(OEE).
With its high precision and casting
process repeatability, the separately
developed Yi-Cast casting unit with
real-time control improves the casting
performance of the LEAP series. Supplemented
with an innovative and energy-saving
hydraulic drive group as well
as astate-of-the-art control panel with
intuitive user-oriented programming,
the LEAP series enables the intelligent
exchange of information on quality,
operating performance and process set-
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 37

DIE CASTING
tings. This makes operating these
die-casting machines simple, efficient
and transparent.
Product development with
international collaboration
Yizumi actively employed integrated
product development (IPD) methods
that concentrate on customers’ various
needs and requirements. The developers
came to understand the challenges
facing their customers’ employees in
their various roles –inproduction,
maintenance and operation of the
die-casting cells. Over several years
they thus gained valuable feedback
through first-hand observation and
studies, enabling them to assist customers
achieve aquantum leap in their
production with the help of the LEAP
series.
International collaboration is the
driving force behind the company’s
technological alignment. In order to
create anew generation of powerful
products, Yizumi committed itself to
integrating advanced European
die-casting technology. This included
the integration of global resources, the
construction of aSino-European technology
platform, and the involvement
of European die-casting experts to
overcome the technical challenges
together. Atthe same time, the company
further developed the core competences
of its Chinese engineers –
Figure 1: The injection control system
ensures high quality for every shot.
from the transfer of knowledge to
active implementation.
Yizumi made considerable investments
in the research and development
of casting processes to build up ahigh
level of internal expertise on the
die-casting process. The company’s own
Product and Process Application Center
(PPAC) is avery good platform for carrying
out avariety of casting experiments,
for testing tools, and for providing
training courses on foundry technology.
Setting up the PPAC involved close collaboration
with carefully selected international
specialists to train its own
team on casting processes and tool
design. Yizumi can thus also offer its
customers technological support –
enabling them to better survive in this
highly competitive market.
The partnerships set up with European
experts in avariety of key technological
areas enabled the technology
team to consider engineering chal-
Figure 2: The ORCA control system provides easily understandable intuitive operation.
38

lenges from avariety of perspectives,
and thus find innovative solutions from
which customers can benefit. “We are
proud tocontribute our more than 30
years of experience in die casting for
this international project. It is very exciting
and interesting for us to work
closely with the Yizumi team,” says
Andre Dylong, Managing Director of
DSD, Yizumi’s European service partner.
Success in performance
comparisons
The new generation of the LEAP series
is the result of collaboration between
the experienced international R&D
team and Yizumi’s technical team in
China. “It ischaracterized by greatly
improved casting performance and an
intuitive MMI control panel. The
improved mold-shooting system and an
energy-saving drive group make LEAP
an efficient, stable and automated
die-casting production unit. Use of the
independently developed Yi-Cast casting
unit with real-time control guarantees
consistently high shot quality,”
explains Wang Bo, Manager, Product
and Market Management at Yizumi’s
Die Casting Division.
During injection control, precisely
coordinated algorithms developed
in-house combined with ahigh-performance
control system, high-speed pilot
valves and special servo valves ensure
first-class shooting performance (Figure
1). The real-time regulatory system
recognizes all process deviations and
immediately adapts the injection process
automatically. This considerably
improves the repeatability of processes
and the consistency of casting quality.
Discontinuation of the injection speed
to complete mold filling reduces sprue
formation and increases both the productivity
and service life of the tool.
The ORCA control system is also the
result of close collaboration with
renowned European specialists (Figure
2). With the help of this control system,
users can easily and effectively
administrate, adapt and monitor production
parameters –such as speeds,
pressures, path points, piston resistance
in the shot sleeves, pressure build-up
time, injection stroke, sprue thickness,
vacuum level, clamping force, temperatures
and technological data, etc.. This
makes itpossible to maintain constant
high production efficiency and process
quality. Intuitive and easily understandable
graphic displays cut programming
time and reduce the need for training.
The control panel menu offers equally
easy access for operators, process engineers,
maintenance teams and quality
managers. The user interface, with a
large 24-inch touchscreen, ensures
direct access to programming functions,
warning messages, and the multifunctional
shot curve display. The adjustment
of tolerance ranges for critical
Figure 3: The toggle lever system has
been completely reworked.
process parameters and the SPC data
management system simplify quality
management and ensure maximum
overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Acompletely reworked toggle lever
system was also designed for the series
–for longer service life and greater plate
rigidity (Figure 3). In combination with
the innovative hydraulic drive system,
clamping and opening times can be up
to 10% quicker. The servo drives, proven
over many years, reduce energy consumption
by up to 40%. The simple programming
of speeds, automatic mold
construction height, clamping force, and
precise mold position stops also contribute
towards overall efficiency. Flexible
energy tables allow simple adjustment
and adaptation of all energy and functional
connections between the die-casting
machine and the tool.
Prospects
The LEAP series is suitable for all process
requirements in the casting of aluminum
or magnesium alloys, as well as
semi-solid applications. The first available
model of this series is the 1250T.
Further clamping forces of from 400 to
5000 tonnes will follow to complete the
series.
www.yizumi.com
Stefan Fritsche, CSO Die Casting &
Metal Molding, Yizumi
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 39

COMPANY
Employee health
Employees in the office at work or in their home office
must contend with the causes of illness, some of which
originate in their private lives.
Promoting and maintaining
health –holistically
Many illnesses that company employees suffer from –such as mental problems, back
pain and cardiovascular disorders –have their roots intheir private lives. Workplace
health promotion must also take this into account.
By Sabine Machwürth, Visselhövede
Drafts. Poisonous gases. Deafening
noise. Companies can easily identify
such sources of illness at the
workplace. The same applies when an
employee in aproduction area has their
hand squashed while using astamping
machine, for example. Then it is
instantly clear what caused the accident.
Then companies can also take
immediate countermeasures.
Hidden sources of illness
The same isnot true for office work –
regardless of whether an accident takes
place at the company or while in the
home office. It is often not evident at
first glance what has impacted the
employee’s health. Nevertheless, there
are also sources of illness in office work
–they are just different from those in
the production area. This can be seen
when one looks at the most frequent
illnesses of office workers. Apart from
infections, these are:
> spinal disorders and problems with
the locomotion system,
> cardiovascular and metabolic disorders,
as well as
> psychosomatic illnesses.
These so-called ‘civilization diseases’
cause almost 80percent of work days
lost due to illness –also because they
are often chronic.
Start with prevention early on
This is why prevention of these problems
should start as soon as possible.
The experts all agree on this. What is
less clear, however, ishow to avoid
them –because these illnesses often
have no single clear cause. Thus, for
40

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HWS systems for sand reclamation.
Photos: Adobe Stock
• Highly efficient, flexible process
• Customized concepts
• Automated solutions
• No environmental requirements for the
reclamation unit
• Own reclamation test center available
Active collaboration, e.g. in health circles, helps trace the causes of
illness.
example, stress causes or contributes to many cardiovascular
and psychosomatic illnesses. This, however, can be triggered
by many factors, for example deadline pressure or overwork.
And what aparticular person perceives as stress is subjective.
On being given anew task, one employee thinks, “Super,
now Ican finally prove myself,” while another is gripped
with panic: “I’ll never manage that.” Such personal thought
and behavior patterns play an important role in the perception
of stress.
But workers do not only display this thought and behavior
pattern at the workplace, but also in their free time.
Those who are most rapidly stressed at work often cannot
find peace in their private lives either. Consequently, work
lives and private lives are generally closely interwoven with
one another when stress is involved as acause of illness.
This also applies for other risk factors that frequently
trigger the above-mentioned civilization diseases. Unhealthy
nutrition, for example. Those with afondness for meat and
French fries at the works canteen are unlikely to eat salad
and wholegrain bread at home. This is also the case regarding
lack of physical activity. Many office workers also spend
most of their free time sitting –for example in the car,
watching television or in front of agames console.
This is why companies that have aprevention concept
that solely concentrates on the health-promoting design of
workplaces do not achieve much. They should have aholistic
view of people. But companies do not have any direct influence
on what their employees do in their free time. They
cannot dictate that the workforce should stop smoking, or
go jogging twice aweek. Such behavioral changes cannot be
ordered bydecree. They are only possible when employees
recognize their advantages, and experience behavioral
change as apersonal gain. This is why most corporate health
promotion concepts no longer focus on the aim of ‘preventing
illness’ per se. Instead, the objective is to promote and
maintain the wellbeing, performance capacity and joie de
vivre of their employees.
Before sand reclamation
After sand reclamation
www.sinto.com
Active cooperation is required
This can only happen when employees actively participate.
For example in health circles, which can also take place
online; inother words discussion groups in which the
employees themselves determine which factors negatively
impact their wellbeing, and how they can be overcome. Thus
HEINRICH WAGNER SINTO
Maschinenfabrik GmbH
SINTOKOGIO GROUP
Bahnhofstr.101 ·57334 Bad Laasphe, Germany
Phone +49 2752 /907 0·Fax +49 2752 /907 280
www.wagner-sinto.de
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 41

COMPANY
Employers cannot insist
on healthy nutrition …
aspects that promote illness –and
which outsiders would find difficult to
uncover –come to light. For example,
deficiencies incommunication and management
culture. Or working hours and
staffing schedules that run counter to
the needs of the employees. They, too,
can reduce the wellbeing of personnel.
This is why one does not get far with
patent solutions when it comes to the
topic of health promotion.
Nevertheless, there are some useful
factors that characterize modern preventive
concepts. They do not purely
involve the provision of information,
for example. Because knowledge alone
does not usually lead people to change
their behavior. This can be seen with
the example of smoking. Nowadays
everyone knows that smoking harms
health. But 23 percent of adults in Germany
still smoked regularly in 2019.
This shows that health promotion concepts
that rely solely on information are
seldom successful. So they are often
enhanced with elements of training and
diagnostics.
Training new thought
and behavior patterns
Diagnostic elements, such as determining
blood values, make sense because
of the differences between the subjective
physical perceptions and the objective
heath data of many people who
are not yet sick. Thus, for example, a
35-year-old highly energetic male manager
who is told that heart attacks are
the most frequent cause of death
among the under-60s mostly reacts with
ashoulder-shrugging “So what?” But if
one presents the same person with his
health data –showing that he has a
considerably higher probability of suffering
aheart attack next year than the
average for the population –hewill be
more concerned. Then he will almost
inevitably ask what he should do to prevent
the heart attack.
Then it is by no means enough to
tell him, “You should eat more healthy
foods, move more, and make time for
relaxation.” because most people
already know this. It is far more important
toshow the person, for example,
how they should do sport that promotes
their health, and describe relaxation
techniques –atthe workplace,
too, or between two appointments.
…nor sufficient physical activity.
Key role for managers
Another feature of almost all modern
health promotion concepts is that managers
play akey role because they
largely influence the employees’ working
conditions. Stress is generated if a
‘boss’ provides no clear instructions and
employees do not know what they have
to do. And it is no better when the
‘boss’ regularly pillories employees for
mistakes. Then they are plagued by anxiety:
“I hope Idon’t doanything
wrong.” Their wellbeing is also not
helped when acompany believes that
the longer an employee is in the office
and at their desk, the more valuable
they are. In such cases it is predictable
that the lives of the employees will
Photos: Fotolia
42

ecome unbalanced –because they
hardly have any time left for their families,
their hobbies, or to relax.
So it is important that managers
are made aware of the significance of
health and the work/life balance. Managers
are role models for their employees
–both positively and negatively.
Most companies have recognized this.
So most of the larger companies now
have special health promotion programs
for their managers –also
because the companies know the
direct and indirect extra costs that
arise when ahigh achiever is absent
for along time.
Achallenge: reaching
all employees
Many companies, however, still have
problems extending the health promotion
system to the entire workforce. It
is still not unusual for the majority of
employees to be subjected to numerous
apparently arbitrary individual
measures –starting with stress management
seminars and extending to
informative events on the topic of
nutrition. All these measures are
meaningful, and it is good that companies
offer them. But, unfortunately,
they often do not achieve the desired
effect because they are not embedded
in any coherent overall concept.
Reports by health insurance companies
often play akey role in the creation
ofsuch concepts. Companies can
find out from them which illnesses
affected their employees during the
previous year, and in which departments
they frequently occurred. They
also provide information on what
changes were achieved compared to
the year before. And what illnesses
affect the employees of other comparable
companies.
One shortcoming of the health
reports, however, isthat they only
reflect the illness data. They provide
no details onwhat percentage of the
employees suffer from stress, how
many have high blood pressure, and
how many are overweight –information
that is important for preventive
work. Soagrowing number of companies
are carrying out regular screening
events, where employees can have
their blood values or body fat percentage
determined anonymously and voluntarily.
The data gained from such events
flows into acentral database so that
the company then knows, for example:
that about 30 percent of their employees
have elevated total cholesterol levels;
40 percent are overweight.
Another way to gain the desired information
is to survey employees themselves
by asking them, for example:
> Doyou suffer from stress?
> What causes you stress?
> How does stress affect you?
Such surveys are very helpful, particularly
when the working conditions of
many employees have changed radically
due to working more in the home
office, because the information gained
can be used to develop measures
adapted to the needs of the employees.
Taking individual needs
into account
These, however, donot yet meet individual
needs. Ultimately, recognized
stress symptoms for example, such as
muscle tenseness, stomach complaints
and anger, can have the most varied of
causes both at work and in private
lives. The same applies when someone
has the feeling that “everything is getting
to be too much for me”. This can
also be caused by teenage children
being constantly ‘annoying’.
Such factors are usually impossible
to address in (online) seminars and
meetings attended by many people –
above all because they involve the private
lives of the employees. So companies
are increasingly also offering their
employees the possibility of contacting
ahealth coach anonymously to:
> analyze what is troubling them and
why, aswell as
> draw up an individual action plan
together.
Many companies have had positive
experiences with an appropriate combination
of support measures, above
all because they link the preventive
measures intended for all employees
with individual support and encouragement.
www.mticonsultancy.com
Media
Kit
2022
Sabine Machwürth is Managing Partner
of the corporate consultancy
Machwürth Team International (MTI
Consultancy), in Visselhövede (D),
which supports companies in the
development, implementation and
realization of customized digital and
hybrid health promotion programs,
among other things. +49 211 1591 142
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 43

NEWS
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Photo: Mercedes-Benz Group
HECK &BECKER/HANOMAG LOHNHÄRTEREI
Ready-to-install prototype component
for new Mercedes EQS
Heck &Becker GmbH &Co.KG and the
Hanomag Lohnhärterei Group will present
the A-pillar for the new Mercedes
EQS atEUROGUSS, which will be held
in Nuremberg, Germany from 8to10
June 2022.
The joint project between Heck &
Becker GmbH &Co. KG and the
Hanomag Lohnhärterei Group began
back in 2018. The initiator for the cooperation
was the order from Mercedes to
manufacture the prototypes of the
A-pillar for the latest luxury electric
model, the Mercedes EQS. As part of
the close collaboration, Heck &Becker’s
casting technology experts produced
the castings using the K1 prototyping
process atthe Heck &Becker Diecasting
Technology Center (DTC), replacing the
sand casting process previously used in
this area. The advantages are obvious:
“By using the die-casting process, which
is ultimately also used to manufacture
the series components, we can represent
at an early stage exactly the properties
that are expected in the series
parts that are later installed. With the
special K1 prototyping process, we create
the conditions to produce the components
in 12 weeks from the design
freeze. With aseries mold, on the other
hand, you would have to reckon with a
manufacturing time of four to five
months until the first castings are available”,
states Martin Baumann, Managing
Director at Heck &Becker.
After production at Heck &Becker in
Dautphetal, the prototypes were solution
annealed at Hanomag Lohnhärterei
GmbH in Hanover using individually tailored
heat treatment parameters, manually
straightened and then artificially
aged. The Hanomag Lohnhärterei Group
is aleader in Germany in heat treatments
for steel and aluminum materials that
are individually tailored to the material.
For the completion of the parts, the company
relies on Herbst Zerspanungs- und
Messtechnik GmbH in Hildesheim, which,
as amember of the Hanomag Lohnhärterei
Group, specializes in the mechanical
machining of prototypes.
“Many reasons were decisive for the
successful cooperation,” says Hanomag
Managing Director Karsten Seehafer
and continues that the cooperation
A-pillar for new Mercedes-Benz EQS.
includes the entire process competence
for aluminum components. “The advantage
for our customer is that he receives
all production steps from asingle source
and significantly faster,” emphasize the
two managing directors Karsten Seehafer
and Martin Baumann, clarifying that
the client has nothing to do with internal
coordination and logistics. Both
companies attach great importance to
the fact that the customer does not
have to worry about auditing the entire
supplier chain -regardless of whether
prototypes, replacement or series components
are involved -but only has to
approve the final product.
www.heck-becker.com
www.haertecenter.de/en/
Photo: Daniel Moeller Fotografie
44

GAS ANALYSIS
Portable gas sampling probe
In addition to stationary analysers, gas
analysis for monitoring emissions also
uses portable methods. The actual measuring
task determines the complexity
of the sampling/ analysis units. Since
not all control points are easy to access,
operators are interested in suitable and
light equipment with acompact size.
In the field of emission monitoring, but
also in other fields of application of gas
analysis, itiscommon tocheck the function
of stationary analysis systems at
regular intervals by means of transportable
measuring instruments. In addition,
there are applications -e.g.
exhaust gas monitoring -inwhich gas
analysis is carried out at intervals.
It is anecessity that the portable
measuring equipment is of high quality,
especially for control measurements
since they are mostly carried out by
external monitoring companies. The
purpose of these controls is to verify the
reliability of the measurement results
from the stationary analysis system.
Thus, the data measured during these
interval measurements is expected to be
as reliable and precise.
To obtain precise test results in these
fields of application, it is necessary that
the measuring equipment is easy and
safe to handle as well as light weight, in
addition to the already mentioned high
quality.
Buehler Technologies -aglobal supplier
ofequipment for gas analysis -has
acomprehensive programme for portable
gas analysis in its portfolio. It consists
of agas sampling probe “Smart
Sample Tube” which described with
more detail below, the “Smartline”, a
heated sample gas line with integrated
particle filter and the PCS Smart series,
arange of sample gas conditioning systems.
The main design criteria for the gas
sampling probe –the “Smart Sample
Tube” were the lowest possible energy
consumption combined with the avoidance
of cold bridges and ahigh degree
of protection against accidental contact
for the measuring technicians. The sampling
tube protruding into the process
stream is heated internally. The power
connection required for this and the
controller for controlling the heating
are located within an insulating housing
made ofsilicone. The connector for
the sample gas line –“Smartline” is also
located inside this housing. It is easily
accessible through aclosable opening
on the side of the housing. The sealing
cap is inextricably linked to the housing.
The dimensions are matched in such a
way that the filter housing of the sample
gas line directly adjoins the insulating
housing of the gas sampling probe.
This avoids any cold bridge both at the
sample gas line and at the end of the
external probe. At the same time, the
insulating housing offers excellent contact
protection.
Acalibration connection and a fixing
bracket with a2-metre safety chain
are optionally available.The sampling
tube is available in lengths of 0.5 m; 1.0
m; 1.5 mand 2.0 mand has an outer
Buehler portable heated sample tube.
diameter of 25 millimetres. The power
supply is 115V or 230V AC 50/60Hz. The
heating capacity depends on the
extraction tube length as well as the
supplied power and ranges from 103 to
500 watts. The weight of the “Smart
Sample Tube” is between approx. 2-4
kg, depending on the selected variant.
https://www.buehlertechnologies.com/
RUDOLF UHLEN GmbH
Face protection for every application
Rudolf Uhlen GmbH is amanufacturer of personal protective
equipment (PPE) for face protection. Especially for the steel
and foundry industry we provide special solutions in the field
of IR-protection. We produce:
Ÿ Visor Carriers
Ÿ Gold-coated visors
Ÿ Mesh visors
Ÿ PC-visors
Ÿ Bochumer Brillen
Ÿ Flip-up goggles
Photo: Buehler Technologies
Would you like us to include your
press releases in our News section?
Please send your articles to: redaktion@bdguss.de
RUDOLF UHLEN GmbH Telefon: (02129) 1444
Am Höfgen 13 -42781 Haan Telefax: (02129) 59980
www.aschua-uhlen.de info@aschua-uhlen.de
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 45

NEWS
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES 4.0
Atlas Copco develops vacuum controller
Atlas Copco has developed the industrial
vacuum controller of the future. It
serves as an enhanced control centre
for vacuum pumps and systems. Ensuring
higher vacuum performance and
functionality as well as increased user
empowerment across alarge range of
applications. By also offering increased
connectivity and system integration,
HEX@ brings convenient remote access
to their vacuum system with increased
control anywhere.
HEX @ has aclean and intuitive user
interface. This is vital. HEX@ users access
key data directly on the home screen
and can access further settings and controls
easily using the on-display menu.
Relevant pump data is displayed quickly
and legibly. “The controller can be individually
configured by our customers so
that only selected values, such as discharge
temperature, power consumption
or inlet pressure are displayed”
explains the responsible product manager
at Atlas Copco, Alistair Darroch.
The communication options for
HEX @ enabled pumps are also diverse,
users can access the unit remotely using
smartphones, tablets, laptops or PC;
alternatively, access can be via the
onboard HMI interface or alocal device
connected tothe machine using wired
or WiFi based connections.
“Customers can choose to connect
fully to their local network and also the
cloud totake complete advantage of a
fully connected pump including automatic
updates to software and functionality
as well as remote support from
Atlas Copco in the event support is
required. If this level of connectivity is
not desired, HEX@ can connect only to
the customers network or even not at
all” informs Alistair Darroch. Further,
HEX@ will also support other communication
protocols such as Ethernet/IP,
EtherCat, Profinet, Modbus TCP, Profibus
and OPC UA.
The HEX @ controller is continuously
collecting and processing awide range
Would you like us to include your
press releases in our News section?
Please send your articles to: redaktion@bdguss.de
Atlas Copco HEX@ controller: smart functions, optional HMI features.
of pump data. When it comes to making
use of this data, Atlas Copco have
defined four elementary yet powerful
vacuum system attributes we can use to
evaluate avacuum system: Uptime, Performance,
ECO and Health.
These indicators allow customers to
quickly assess the status of their vacuum
pump, tounderstand the impact of any
changes made on their vacuum system
and ultimately, their process.
> The uptime is the indicator for the
availability of the pump. It documents
how long the pump runs
without failures.
> Inthe case of performance, HEX@
considers if the pump is achieving
the required vacuum targets set by
the customer.
> The so-called ECO status provides
information about the efficiency
potential of the vacuum pumps. By
comparing the targeted set-point
pressure with the current operating
pressure, users receive feedback if
vacuum pump is using more energy
than necessary.
> Finally, the health status evaluates
failures and key measurements to
assess the pumps current status and
also takes into account when services
are due. Informing the customer
if their pump health can be
improved.
“These four key performance indicators
(KPI) are used to draw conclusions
about the
current conditions on what we introduce
with HEX@ as Insight Cards, which
provide
feedback on the status of the vacuum
system as well as optimization recommendations,”
says Alistair Darroch.
In addition, they include recommendations
for increasing pump life, reducing
energy consumption, improving the carbon
footprint and extending maintenance
intervals.
The configured pump settings can
be saved as a“mode” and then recalled
at any time. The appropriate mode
ensures that the pump also calls up the
required performance. These HEX@
modes can beaccessed easily and
quickly by the user by pressing abutton
on the control panel or by accessing the
pump remotely. This is not all, the
HEX@ has additional smart functionalities,
such as Trends: Trends showcase
historic data to give valuable overviews
of various measured parameters, including
data oninlet pressure, engine
speed, power consumption oil temperature
and more. By comparing the current
and historic data, users can better
understand the consequences of
changes in process or pump settings.
www.atlascopco.com/vacuum
Photo: Atlas Copco
46

METSO OUTOTEC
New heavy-duty
slurry pump
Metso Outotec introduces the Metso Outotec MDM900 mill
discharge slurry pump, the latest addition to its flagship Mill
Discharge (MD) Pump Series.
The massive
MDM900 is one of
the world’s largest
mill discharge
slurry pumps,
designed for
heavy-duty use in
concentrator
plants, where
capacity and
wear-resistance
are of essence.
The MDM900 is an
all-metal, thickwalled,
extra
heavy-duty pump Metso Outotec MDM900 mill discharge slurry
designed specifically
for extremely
pump.
arduous mill duty
applications.
“Slurry handling is vital in maximizing aminerals processing
plant’s productivity and efficiency. The advanced design
of the MDM900 enables minimized slurry velocities in the
pumps, thus reducing the rate of wear significantly. This
translates to increased uptime and productivity for our customers.
We are also proud to have implemented many environmentally
sustainable design initiatives in the MDM900
pump, which is part of our Planet Positive offering, as are all
our MDSeries pumps. As examples of its environmentally sustainable
features, Iwould like to mention the reduced footprint
ofthis massive pump, and its standard low-flow shaft
seal to minimize the pump’s freshwater requirement during
operation,” says Diwakar Aduri, Product Manager for MD
Pumps atMetso Outotec.
Photo: Hersteller
Specifications of the MDM900 mill discharge slurry
pump
> Flows up to 13,500 m³/h (60,000 gpm)
> Heads up to 40 m(132 ft)
> Frame: FR2100
> Impeller diameter: 2100 mm (83 inches)
> Inlet size: 900 mm (36 inches)
The MDpumps have been designed for efficient operation
and long wear life to match the mill’s uptime. Metso Outotec’s
MDSeries pumps come in two tailored solutions, MDM
and MDR. The MDM (Mill Discharge Metal) pumps are available
in size ranges of 250-900, and the MDR (Mill Discharge
Rubber) models come in size ranges of 250-700. Both pump
types are suited for heavy-duty use in concentrator plants
offering excellent resistance to abrasion and erosion.
www.mogroup.com/

NEWS
HUMBOLDT RESEARCH AWARD WINNER
Prof. Haruyuki Inui joins the MPIE
Prof. Haruyuki Inui, professor of materials
science and engineering from the
Kyoto University (Japan), has been
granted the Humboldt Research Award
in November 2021.
This renowned award, endowed with
60,000 euros, is presented annually by
the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
to internationally recognized scientists
from abroad to support collaborative
projects with researchers in
Germany. Inui plans several research
stays in Germany, and the
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung
(MPIE) in Düsseldorf is proud to be one
of his host institutions.
“We are most exited to welcome
Haruyuki soon at the MPIE. He is a
worldwide leading material scientist
and expert in crystal mechanics and
high-entropy alloys. We will intensify
our cooperation with him in both
fields.”, says Prof. Dierk Raabe, director
of the department “Microstructure
Physics and Alloy Design” at the MPIE.
Together with Prof. Martin Heilmaier
from the Karlsruher Institute of Technology
(KIT), Raabe successfully nominated
Inui for the Humboldt Research
Award.
Inui is also an expert on intermetallic
phases which play asignificant role in
the development of new types of structural
materials for extreme environmental
conditions, e.g. in the field of combustion
processes. For decades, the
fundamental research work at Kyoto
has been trend-setting for worldwide
research in this field, which eventually
enabled the commercial use of TiAlbased
materials in aircraft engines. The
main topic of his research is the experimental
investigation of the deformation
of metallic and intermetallic materials
from the nano- up to the
macro-scale. In doing so, he spans the
range from complex iron- and cobaltbased
superalloys to novel intermetallic
phases and so-called high entropy alloys
–inthe materials science and engineering
community currently ahot topic to
which the award winner has also contributed
substantially.
Inui plans to spend his stay associated
with the Humboldt Research
Prof. Haruyuki Inui, Humboldt Research
Award winner.
Award in Germany beginning in 2022,
at the MPIE, the KIT, the Ruhr-Universität
Bochum and the University
Bayreuth.
www.mpie.de/2281/en
Photo: Max-Planck-Institut
SMART GLASSES
Seeing through the eyes of the mobile worker
Wearables for industry rethought: The
Pepperl+Fuchs brand ECOM Instruments,
together with its cooperation
partner Iristick, is introducing Visor-Ex ®
01 smart glasses for industrial use in
hazardous areas.
The intelligent wearable, weighing just
180 g, combines high camera /display
quality and reliable communication features
in an ergonomic design for user’s
utmost comfort. This provides mobile
workers with anoptimal companion for
tasks that require hands-free use as well
as continuous communication, for
example with remote expert support. A
total of three integrated cameras transform
Visor-Ex ® 01 into the remote
expert’s bionic eye. Two16-megapixel
cameras are centrally positioned to
depict the wearer’s natural field of
vision –this way remote support views
what is happening from the same angle
and perspective as the mobile worker. A
secondary camera offers a6xoptical
zoom for zooming without loss of quality
and scanning of barcodes and QR
codes.
The system utilises the ECOM
Smart-Ex ® 02 smartphone for hazardous
areas as acomputing unit with LTE connectivity
and apocket unit with a
replaceable battery for power supply,
an intelligent ecosystem is created for a
wide range of application scenarios in
the industrial sector. The distribution of
functions across the individual system
components helps to minimise the
weight of the headset unit –without
compromising on performance, connectivity
or battery life. By connecting to
the Smart-Ex ® 02, users can continue to
use their tried-and-tested smartphone
for harsh environmental conditions
without restriction and benefit from all
the advantages and security features
and controls of the Android 11 operating
system, including over-the-air
The Visor-Ex® 01 from ECOM Instruments are
smart glasses for industrial use in hazardous
areas.
updates, ease of use and TCO.
Visor-Ex ® 01 will be certified for
ATEX/IECEx Zone 1/21 and 2/22 as well
as NEC/CEC Division 1and 2and will
have protection class IP68. It can be
used within atemperature range of -20
to +60 °C.
Photo: ECOM Instruments
48

LOW VOLTAGE ACMOTORS
Market grew 21.5% by revenue in 2021
material costs. In particular, steel prices
are through the roof (and will remain
so for the foreseeable future), which is
having amajor impact on the price of
motors.
Blake Griffin, Senior Analyst at
Interact Analysis comments, “For me,
one of the most interesting findings of
this research is related to new high
efficiency IE4 and IE5 motors. There is a
lot of hype surrounding them, but the
market has shown that it will generally
not adopt them unless forced to by
legislation. Currently, the IE4 &IE5
motor market is in its infancy with a
market size of $134 min2020. But
major growth is predicted in the European
Union which is putting IE4 minimum
efficiency performance standards
in place.”
New research from Interact Analysis
shows that the low voltage motors
market saw the highest revenue
growth in living memory during 2021,
driven by historic price increases as a
result of supply chain disruptions.
Growth in unit terms of 6.6% was
much more in line with the broader
rate of recovery seen in the manufacturing
sector globally. Supply chain disruptions
have included shortages of
key components and raw materials –
with steel, copper, and aluminum in
particular reaching record highs in
2021 –aswell as major increases to
shipping prices.
China continues to be the world’s
largest motor market and, although
ABB and Siemens continue to be global
market leaders, domestic Chinese companies,
including Wolong Electric and
Wanan Motors are now entering the
top ten global suppliers. During 2022
we expect to see Wolong hit the top
spot in APAC, which will be afirst for a
Chinese supplier.
Despite strong performance in 2021
the overall machinery production sector
is expected to suffer ashort period of
contraction in 2023/24 as aresult ofrising
interest rates. This will be felt in the
motor market. Europe in particular is
expected to suffer from this period of
downturn as it is heavily weighted
towards machinery production.
Shipping rates have created asignificant
problem for the LV motors market,
with the 2021 container shortage seeing
rates increase tenfold. They will not
return to normal anytime soon, if ever.
Acombination of high demand and an
increased number of truck drivers exiting
the industry does not bode well for
the market. The knock-on effect of this
coupled with the rise in energy prices
has caused anexponential rise in raw
About the Report:
To produce this report, Interact Analysis
conducted interviews with suppliers and
users of LV motors to reach acomprehensive
understanding of forces driving
the market. Interact Analysis collected
data directly from suppliers to form a
bottom-up analysis market size and supplier
shares. Additionally, Interact Analysis
has modelled demand for LV motors
at the country and industry level. This
resolution of data is formed thorough a
proven methodology which Interact
Analysis has iterated upon since the
founding of the company.
www.interactanalysis.com
Would you like us to include your
press releases in our News section?
Please send your articles to: redaktion@bdguss.de
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 49

SUPPLIERS GUIDE
© DVS Media GmbH
Contact person: Vanessa Wollstein
Aachener Straße 172 :+49 211 1591-152
40223 Düsseldorf :+49 211 1591-150
:vanessa.wollstein@dvs-media.info
:www.keytocasting.com/
1 Foundry Plants and Equipment
17 SurfaceTreatment andDrying
2
Melting Plants and Equipment for Iron and
Steel Castings and for Malleable Cast Iron
18
Plant,Transport, Stock, andHandling
Engineering
3 Melting Plants and Equipment for NFM
4 Refractories Technology
19 Pattern- andDiemaking
20 ControlSystemsand Automation
5
6
7
8
Non-metalRaw Materials and Auxiliaries for
Melting Shop
Metallic Charge Materials for Iron and Steel
Castings and for Malleable Cast Iron
Metallic Charge and Treatment Materials for
Light and Heavy Metal Castings
Plants and Machines for Moulding and
Coremaking Processes
21 TestingofMaterials
22 Analysis Techniqueand Laboratory
23 AirTechnique andEquipment
24 Environmental Protection andDisposal
9 Moulding Sands
10 Sand Conditioning and Reclamation
11 MouldingAuxiliaries
12 Gating andFeeding
13 Casting Machines andEquipment
25 Accident Prevention andErgonomics
26 OtherProducts forCasting Industry
27 Consulting andService
28 Castings
29 By-Products
14
Discharging, Cleaning, FinishingofRaw
Castings
30 Data Processing Technology
15 SurfaceTreatment
16 Weldingand Cutting
31 Foundries
32 Additivemanufacturing /3-D printing
50

03 Melting Plants and Equipment for NFM
03.02 Melting and Holding Furnaces, Electrically
Heated
▼ Aluminium Melting Furnaces 630
Refratechnik Steel GmbH
Refratechnik Casting GmbH
Am Seestern 5, 40547 Düsseldorf, Germany
+49 211 5858-0
E-Mail:
steel@refra.com
Internet:
www.refra.com
▼ Insulating Products 1130
08 Plants and Machines for Moulding and
Coremaking Processes
08.02 Moulding and Coremaking Machines
▼ Multi-Stage Vacuum Process 3223
LOIThermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
▼ Remelting Furnaces 700
EIKA,S.COOP
Urresolo 47, 48277 Etxebarria
+34 946 16 77 32
Internet:
Spain
E-Mail:
aagirregomezkorta@isoleika.es
Internet:
www.isoleika.es
▼ Micro Porous Insulating Materials 1220
Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
35614 Asslar,Germany
+49 6441 802-1190 7 +49 6441 802-1199
E-Mail:
andreas.wuerz@pfeiffer-vacuum.de
Internet:
www.pfeiffer-vacuum.de
09 Moulding Sands
09.01 Basic Moulding Sands
▼ Chromite Sands 3630
LOIThermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
04 Refractories Technology
04.01 Plants, Equipment and Tools for Lining in Melting
andCasting
▼ Mixers and Chargers for RefractoryMixes 930
EIKA,S.COOP
Urresolo 47, 48277 Etxebarria
+34 946 16 77 32
Internet:
Spain
E-Mail:
aagirregomezkorta@isoleika.es
Internet:
www.isoleika.es
▼ Ladle RefractoryMixes 1240
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
▼ Ceramic Sands/Chamotte Sands 3645
UELZENER Maschinen GmbH
Stahlstr.26-28, 65428 Rüsselsheim, Germany
+49 6142 177 68 0
E-Mail:
contact@uelzener-ums.de
Internet:
www.uelzener-ums.de
▼ Gunning for Relining of Cupolas 950
UELZENER Maschinen GmbH
Stahlstr.26-28, 65428 Rüsselsheim, Germany
+49 6142 177 68 0
E-Mail:
contact@uelzener-ums.de
Internet:
www.uelzener-ums.de
04.04 RefractoryBuilding
▼ Maintenance of RefractoryLinings 1462
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
▼ Silica Sands 3720
STROBEL QUARZSAND GmbH
Freihungsand, 92271 Freihung, Germany
+49 9646 9201-0 7 +49 9646 9201-701
E-Mail:
info@strobel-quarzsand.de
Internet:
www.strobel-quarzsand.de
UELZENER Maschinen GmbH
Stahlstr.26-28, 65428 Rüsselsheim, Germany
+49 6142 177 68 0
E-Mail:
contact@uelzener-ums.de
Internet:
www.uelzener-ums.de
04.02 RefractoryMaterials (Shaped and Non Shaped)
▼ Refractories, in general 1040
UELZENER Maschinen GmbH
Stahlstr.26-28, 65428 Rüsselsheim, Germany
+49 6142 177 68 0
E-Mail:
contact@uelzener-ums.de
Internet:
www.uelzener-ums.de
05 Non-metal Raw Materials and Auxiliaries for
Melting Shop
05.04 Carburization Agents
▼ Coke Breeze, Coke-Dust 1680
09.04 Mould and Core Coating
▼ Blackings, in general 4270
ARISTON Formstaub-WerkeGmbH &Co. KG
Worringerstr.255, 45289 Essen, Germany
+49 201 57761 7 +49 201 570648
Internet:
www.ariston-essen.de
EIKA, S.COOP
Urresolo 47, 48277 Etxebarria
+34 946 16 77 32
Internet:
Spain
E-Mail:
aagirregomezkorta@isoleika.es
Internet:
www.isoleika.es
ARISTON Formstaub-WerkeGmbH &Co. KG
Worringerstr.255, 45289 Essen, Germany
+49 201 57761 7 +49 201 570648
Internet:
www.ariston-essen.de
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 51

SUPPLIERS GUIDE
09.06 Moulding Sands Testing
▼ Moisture Testing Equipment for Moulding Sand 4410
▼ Scales and Weighing Control 4590
▼ Exothermic Mini-Feeders 5400
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
▼ Moulding Sand Testing Equipment, in general 4420
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
10.04 Sand Reconditioning
▼ Sand Coolers 4720
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
▼ Exothermic Feeder Sleeves 5420
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
10 Sand Conditioning and Reclamation
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
12 Gating and Feeding
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
▼ Exothermic Feeding Compounds 5430
10.01 Moulding Sand Conditioning
▼ Aerators for Moulding Sand Ready-to-Use 4470
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
▼ Sand Preparation Plants and Machines 4480
▼ Covering Agents 5320
Refratechnik Steel GmbH
Refratechnik Casting GmbH
Am Seestern 5, 40547 Düsseldorf, Germany
+49 211 5858-0
E-Mail:
steel@refra.com
Internet:
www.refra.com
▼ Breaker Cores 5340
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
13 Casting Machines and Equipment
13.02 Die Casting and Accessories
▼ Diecasting Lubricants 5670
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
▼ Mixers 4520
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
▼ Sand Mixers 4550
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
▼ Aerators 4560
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
▼ Exothermic Products 5360
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
▼ Insulating Sleeves 5375
GTP Schäfer GmbH
41515 Grevenbroich, Germany
+49 2181 23394-0 7 +49 2181 23394-55
E-Mail:
info@gtp-schaefer.de
Internet:
www.gtp-schaefer.com
Chem-Trend (Deutschland) GmbH
Robert-Koch-Str.27, 22851 Norderstedt, Germany
+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111
E-Mail:
service@chemtrend.de
Internet:
www.chemtrend.com
▼ Diecasting Parting Agents 5680
Chem-Trend (Deutschland) GmbH
Robert-Koch-Str.27, 22851 Norderstedt, Germany
+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111
E-Mail:
service@chemtrend.de
Internet:
www.chemtrend.com
▼ Hydraulic Cylinders 5750
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH &CoKG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
HYDROPNEU GmbH
Sudetenstr.,73760 Ostfildern, Germany
+49 711 342999-0 7 +49 711 342999-1
E-Mail:
info@hydropneu.de
Internet:
www.hydropneu.de
52

▼ Piston Lubricants 5790
▼ Ageing Furnaces 7401
▼ Hearth Bogie Type Furnaces 7525
Chem-Trend (Deutschland) GmbH
Robert-Koch-Str.27, 22851 Norderstedt, Germany
+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111
E-Mail:
service@chemtrend.de
Internet:
www.chemtrend.com
▼ Parting Agents for Dies 5850
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
▼ Annealing and Hardening Furnaces 7430
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
18 Plant, Transport, Stock, and Handling
Engineering
Chem-Trend (Deutschland) GmbH
Robert-Koch-Str.27, 22851 Norderstedt, Germany
+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111
E-Mail:
service@chemtrend.de
Internet:
www.chemtrend.com
▼ DryLubricants (Beads) 5865
Chem-Trend (Deutschland) GmbH
Robert-Koch-Str.27, 22851 Norderstedt, Germany
+49 40 52955-0 7 +49 40 52955-2111
E-Mail:
service@chemtrend.de
Internet:
www.chemtrend.com
▼ Multi-Stage Vacuum Process 5876
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
▼ Solution Annealing Furnaces 7455
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
▼ Annealing Furnaces 7490
18.01 Continuous Conveyors and Accessories
▼ VibratoryMotors 7980
FRIEDRICH Schwingtechnik GmbH
Am Höfgen 24, 42781 Haan, Germany
+49 2129 3790-0 7 +49 2129 3790-37
E-Mail:
info@friedrich-schwingtechnik.de
Internet:
www.friedrich-schwingtechnik.de
20 ControlSystemsand Automation
20.01 Control and Adjustment Systems
▼ Automation and Control for Sand Preparation 9030
Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH
35614 Asslar,Germany
+49 6441 802-1190 7 +49 6441 802-1199
E-Mail:
andreas.wuerz@pfeiffer-vacuum.de
Internet:
www.pfeiffer-vacuum.de
17 Surface Treatment and Drying
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
▼ Quenching and Tempering Furnaces 7510
Maschinenfabrik GustavEirichGmbH & Co KG
Walldürner Str.50, 74736 Hardheim, Germany
Internet:
www.eirich.de
20.02 Measuring and Control Instruments
▼ Immersion Thermo Couples 9230
▼ HeatTreatment and Drying 7398
Gebr.Löcher Glüherei GmbH
Mühlenseifen 2, 57271 Hilchenbach, Germany
+49 2733 8968-0 7 +49 2733 8968-10
Internet:
www.loecher-glueherei.de
17.01 Plants and Furnaces
▼ Tempering Furnaces 7400
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
▼ HeatTreating Furnaces 7520
LOI Thermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
▼ Laser Measurement Techniques 9310
POLYTEC GmbH
76337 Waldbronn, Germany
+49 7243 604-0 7 +49 7243 69944
E-Mail:
Lm@polytec.de
Internet:
www.polytec.de
LOIThermoprocess GmbH
45141 Essen/Germany
+49 201 1891-1
E-Mail:
service-loi@tenova.com
Internet:
www.loi.tenova.com
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 53

SUPPLIERS GUIDE
▼ Positioning Control 9345
▼ Simulation Software 9522
27 Consulting and Service
▼ Machining 11292
POLYTEC GmbH
76337 Waldbronn, Germany
+49 7243 604-0 7 +49 7243 69944
E-Mail:
Lm@polytec.de
Internet:
www.polytec.de
▼ Temperature Measurement 9380
MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH
Kackertstr.11, 52072 Aachen, Germany
+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60
E-Mail:
info@magmasoft.de
Internet:
www.magmasoft.com
22 Analysis Techniqueand LaboratoryEquipment
▼ Sampling Systems 9970
Behringer GmbH
Maschinenfabrik und Eisengiesserei
Postfach:
1153, 74910 Kirchardt, Germany
+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500
Internet:
www.behringer.net
▼ Simulation Services 11310
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
▼ Thermal Analysis Equipment 9400
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
▼ Thermo Couples 9410
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
24 Environmental Protection and Disposal
▼ Waste Disposal, Repreparation, and Utilization 24.03
Remondis Production GmbH -LEGRAN
Brunnenstraße 138 ,44536 Lünen
+49 2306 106 8831
Internet:
Germany
E-Mail:
yannik.droste@remondis.de
Internet:
www.legran.de
26 OtherProducts for Casting Industry
MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH
Kackertstr.11, 52072 Aachen, Germany
+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60
E-Mail:
info@magmasoft.de
Internet:
www.magmasoft.com
▼ HeatTreatment 11345
Gebr.Löcher Glüherei GmbH
Mühlenseifen 2, 57271 Hilchenbach, Germany
+49 2733 8968-0 7 +49 2733 8968-10
Internet:
www.loecher-glueherei.de
28 Castings
▼ Aluminium Pressure Diecasting 11390
20.03 Data Acquisition and Processing
▼ Numerical Solidification Analysis and
Process Simulation 9500
MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH
Kackertstr.11, 52072 Aachen, Germany
+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60
E-Mail:
info@magmasoft.de
Internet:
www.magmasoft.com
▼ Numerical Solidification Simulation and
ProcessOptimization 9502
26.02 Industrial Commodities
▼ Joints, Asbestos-free 11120
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
▼ Sealing and Insulating Products up to 1260 øC 11125
Schött Druckguß GmbH
Aluminium Die Casting
Postfach:
2766, 58687 Menden, Germany
+49 2373 1608-0 7 +49 2373 1608-110
E-Mail:
vertrieb@schoett-druckguss.de
Internet:
www.schoett-druckguss.de
▼ Rolled Wire 11489
Behringer GmbH
Maschinenfabrik und Eisengiesserei
Postfach:
1153, 74910 Kirchardt, Germany
+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500
Internet:
www.behringer.net
▼ Spheroidal Iron 11540
MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH
Kackertstr.11, 52072 Aachen, Germany
+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60
E-Mail:
info@magmasoft.de
Internet:
www.magmasoft.com
MINKON GmbH
Heinrich-Hertz-Str.30-32, 40699 Erkrath, Germany
+49 211 209908-0 7 +49 211 209908-90
E-Mail:
info@minkon.de
Internet:
www.minkon.de
Behringer GmbH
Maschinenfabrik und Eisengiesserei
Postfach:
1153, 74910 Kirchardt, Germany
+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500
Internet:
www.behringer.net
54

30 Data Processing Technology
31 Foundries
▼ Mold Filling and Solidification Simulation 11700
31.01 Iron, Steel, and Malleable-Iron Foundries
▼ Iron Foudries 11855
MAGMA Giessereitechnologie GmbH
Kackertstr.11, 52072 Aachen, Germany
+49 241 88901-0 7 +49 241 88901-60
E-Mail:
info@magmasoft.de
Internet:
www.magmasoft.com
Behringer GmbH
Maschinenfabrik und Eisengiesserei
Postfach:
1153, 74910 Kirchardt, Germany
+49 7266 207-0 7 +49 7266 207-500
Internet:
www.behringer.net
Internet:
IndextoCompanies
Company Product Company Product
ARISTON Formstaub-Werke 1680, 4270
GmbH &Co. KG
BEHRINGER GmbH 11292, 11489, 11540, 11855
Maschinenfabrik&Eisengießerei
Chem Trend (Deutschland) GmbH 5670, 5680, 5790, 5850, 5865
Maschinenfabrik 4410, 4420, 4470, 4480, 4520
Gustav Eirich GmbH u. Co KG ,4550, 4560, 4590, 4720, 9030
Friedrich Schwingtechnik GmbH 7980
GTP Schäfer 3630, 3645, 5340, 5360, 5375,
Giesstechnische Produkte GmbH 5400, 5420, 5430
HYDROPNEU GmbH 5750
EIKA, S.COOP 1040, 1130, 1220
REMONDIS Production GmbH 24
Gebr.LöcherGlüherei 7398, 11345
GmbH
LOIThermprocess GmbH 630, 700, 7400, 7401, 7430,
7455, 7490, 7510, 7520, 7525
MAGMA Gießereitechnologie GmbH 9500, 9502, 9522, 11310, 11700
MINKON GmbH 9230, 9380, 9400, 9410, 9970,
Geschäftsleitung 11120, 11125
Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH 3223, 5876
Polytec GmbH 9310, 9345
Refratechnik Steel GmbH 1040, 5320
Schött-Druckguß GmbH 11390
Strobel Quarzsand GmbH 3720
Uelzener Maschinen GmbH 930, 950, 1240, 1462
Click here for the product list:
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 55

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56

INTERNATIONAL FAIRS AND CONGRESSES
Fairs and Congresses
70th Indian Foundry Congress &IFEX 2022
April, 17-19, Ghandinagar, India
www.ifcindia2022.com/
Intermold Die &Mold Asia
April, 20-23, Osaka, Japan
www.intermold.jp/english/top/
CASTEXPO 2022
April, 23-26, Columbus, USA
www.afsinc.org/tradeshows/castexpo-2022
LightCon
June, 1-2, 2022 Hanover, Germany
www.lightcon.info/en
Euroguss 2022
June, 8-10, 2022, Nuremberg, Germany
www.euroguss.de/en
6. Conference „Steels in Cars and Trucks”
June, 19-23, 2022, Milan, Italy
www.sct-2022.com
CastForge
June, 21-23, 2022, Stuttgart, Germany
www.messe-stuttgart.de/castforge/en
Zinc Die Casting Conference –Europe
October, 5-7, 2022, Koblenz, Germany
www.zinc.org/2020-zinc-die-casting-conference-europe
Advertisers‘ Index
AAGM Aalener Gießereimaschinen GmbH,
Bopfingen/Germany
Inside Back Cover
AGTOS Gesellschaft für technische Oberflächensysteme
mbH, Emsdetten /Germany 21
Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich GmbH &Co. KG,
Hardheim/Germany 47
ExOne GmbH, Gersthofen/Germany 19
FAT Förder- und Anlagentechnik GmbH,
Niederfischbach/Germany 25
Heinrich Wagner Sinto,
Bad Laasphe/Germany 41
Hüttenes-Albertus Chemische Werke GmbH,
Düsseldorf/Germany
Back Cover
KLEIN Anlagenbau AG,
Freudenberg/Germany 27
Krapohl-Wirth Foundry Consulting GmbH,
Neusäß/Germany
Title
NürnbergMesse GmbH,
Nuremberg/Germany
Inside Front Cover
Rump Strahlanlagen GmbH &Co.,
Salzkotten/Germany 9
Rudolf Uhlen GmbH, Haan/Germany 45
GIFA Southeast Asia 2022
October, 5-7, 2022, Bangkok, Thailand
www.gifa-southeastasia.com/
CASTING PLANT &TECHNOLOGY 1/2022 57

PREVIEW/IMPRINT
World’s largest core shooter:
With ashooting volume of 1,700
liters and sand core weight up to
2,5 tons, the LHL200-1700 sets new
standards in the foundry sector.
Photo: Laempe Mössner Sinto
Preview of the next issue
Selection oftopics:
Binder Jet 3D Printing
Binder jetting is an additive manufacturing process in which an industrial printhead selectively deposits aliquid binding agent
onto athin layer of powder particles – foundry sand, ceramics, metal or composites –tobuild high-value and one-of-a-kind
parts and tooling. Take acloser look with us at the fastest additive manufacturing method for production-volume output.
The world’s largest core shooter
For amajor Chinese engine manufacturer, Laempe Mössner Sinto has realized acore shooter that exceeds all previous dimensions:
11 meters height, 16meters length and 30 meters width and aweight of 300 tons. The produced cores can weigh up to
2.5 tons and are used by the customer as mold parts to produce ship engines.
Conserving resources and protecting the environment with Magmasoft
To reduce consumption of raw materials and energy, Brazilian shower head and fittings specialist Docol decided to use numerical
simulation with Magmasoft. Find out more about this software-based approach to amore environmentally friendly production.
Imprint
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58

AAGM Aalener
Gießereimaschinen GmbH
>Durchlaufwirbelmischer
für kaltharzgebundene Formsande
>Regenerierungsanlagen
>Formanlagen
Durchlaufwirbelmischer 8-30t/h, Doppelgelenk
Technische Daten des Durchlaufwirbelmischer
Ausführung:
Doppelgelenk
Geometrie: Hintere Transportschnecke 2,5m
Wirbelmischer 2,3m
Leistung:
8-30t/h
Auslaufhöhe: 1,85m
Medien:
Furanharz (3 Komponenten), 1Sandsorte
www.aagm.de
Zubehör: Vollautom. Durchflußregelung
Bindemittel,
Temperaturabhängige Härterdosierung,
Dosierdrucküberwachung Bindemittel,
Auffangwannen mit integriertem Tagesbehälter,
Pumpenschrank
Gewerbehof 28
D-73441 Bopfingen
Tel.: +49 7362 956037-0
Fax: +49 7362 956037-10
Email: info@aagm.de